As Curtis went down on his haunches, he could feel that even the material of his trousers was hot.
‘I tell you what lad, it’s hot today. Scorchio. Do you remember that from when we were kids. Scorchio. Fast Show wasn’t it?’ Curtis said out loud and smiled. ‘Ethethetheth, Chris Waddle! Buono Estenté. That’s what she used to say, wasn’t it?’
As the hot breeze picked up, Curtis stood up for a moment. It was a clear day and as he gazed west towards the Mersey, he could see the feint outline of the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, or the Paddy’s Wigwam as it was now known because of its distinctive roof.
‘Didn’t bring mum today. I wanted it to be just us, you know?’ Curtis reached inside his trouser pocket and pulled out a small bottle of Jameson Irish Whiskey. ‘And I wanted to tell you that I’ve sorted it. I got the fella that shot you. He’s dead now, kid. I shot him in the face. And I thought we’d have a drink to celebrate, eh?’
Curtis took a long swig from the bottle and then poured the rest of it over Shaun’s grave.
‘You can sleep peacefully now, Shaun. I wanted you to know that,’ Curtis said, feeling emotional. ‘So, I’ll be off now. I’ll come and see you next Sunday. I’ll bring mum, shall I?’
Curtis looked at the grave for a few more seconds, turned and left.
CHAPTER 7
September 2003
The summer was starting to wane and the first hints of autumn were appearing. Nick and Gwen, Laura’s mother, walked slowly down the well-tended lawn.
‘The man came with it yesterday,’ Gwen said as she led the way down her long garden.
Even though it was a little cloudy, Nick was still hot and uncomfortable in his regulation North Wales Police non-operational jacket.
As they got towards the corner, Nick could see where a five-foot Cherry Blossom tree had been freshly planted. He didn’t know why they were called Cherry Blossom – the colour of the small petals was a delicate pink.
Gwen had ordered it as a memorial to Laura, and Nick was honoured that he was the first person she had called to come and see it.
‘What do you think?’ Gwen said, sounding a little apprehensive.
‘It’s beautiful, Gwen. Really beautiful. Laura would have loved it,’ Nick said as a small breeze shook the tree’s petals and leaves.
‘Are you sure?’ Gwen said, putting her hand on Nick’s arm.
‘It’s perfect,’ Nick said as he turned and smiled at her.
‘The man said that Cherry Blossom trees originally come from Japan where they are called Sakura ... I think that’s it. They are used to remember the loss of loved ones, but they also symbolise rebirth too,’ Gwen explained.
‘That sounds just the thing,’ Nick said, trying to reassure her.
Looking at the bottom of the tree, Nick could see the wooden memorial plaque that Gwen had made – In memory of our beautiful daughter, Laura, lost too soon. "Isn't it lovely, when the dawn brings the dew? I'll be watching over you." –
It was a lyric from the Manic Street Preacher’s song ‘William’s Last Words’. Gwen had asked Nick to come up with something for the plaque and this is what he had chosen. Laura loved the band, and her and Nick had spent many hours listening and singing to their songs. As a quote, it seemed perfect in its sentiment.
For a while, Nick and Gwen stood and looked at the tree and thought of Laura.
‘Shall I make some tea?’ Gwen said, sounding emotional.
‘Good idea,’ Nick said.
As they turned to go back up to the house, Gwen looked at him. ‘You’re looking very smart today, Nick.’
‘I’ve got a job interview, of sorts,’ Nick explained.
‘Come and sit down and you can tell me about it,’ Gwen said as she linked her hand into Nick’s arm.
NICK SHIFTED IN THE plastic seat. Opposite sat two Detective Inspectors who were interviewing him after he had put in a request to move from uniform to CID and become a Detective Constable.
Having already completed various tests, Nick now had an interview to see if he could get a place on the twenty-week foundation detective training course. Throughout this time, he would be studying for his National Investigators Exam, the NIE. After that, he would progress to the more advanced detective training course on his route to becoming a CID detective.
The male DI picked up a form from the desk and looked over at him. ‘This is an incredibly good application, Constable Evans. And your references from Llancastell are excellent.’
‘Thank you, sir,’ Nick said, feeling anxious.
‘Tell us, if you were working as a Detective Constable and were first to arrive at a crime scene, what would be your immediate priority?’ the DI asked.
‘Preservation of life, sir. It’s the first mandatory protocol. Assess, administer first aid and call for an ambulance if required,’ Nick explained with confidence.
‘What about your crime scene, Constable? Your actions could jeopardise vital evidence?’ the DI said, playing Devil’s advocated.
Nick stuck to his guns. ‘The preservation of life and the safety of any victims is the priority, even if evidence is lost or a crime scene is compromised, sir.’
‘But preserving the crime scene would be your next priority?’ the female DI asked.
‘Yes, ma’am,’ Nick said.
‘And how would you do that, Constable?’ she asked.
‘Secure all routes to and from the crime scene, using evidence tape or uniformed officers if they are available. Deny access to all civilians. Secure physical evidence, take witness statements immediately and identify any victims,’ Nick replied.
The two DIs exchanged a look but Nick couldn’t tell if this was a positive sign.
‘Tell me, Constable Evans. Why do you want to become a detective?’ the male DI asked.
Nick took a few seconds to compose himself. ‘Ever since I was a kid, I’ve wanted to be a detective. Everything I’ve ever done up to this point has been to achieve that goal. I want a challenging job where I can make a difference to
