Killing with Confetti

15

No way could Diamond duck out of the firearms training. His new friend George Brace was renowned for efficiency and would be sure to check the attendance register. George was proud of the Tri-Force centre, so-called because the Gloucestershire and Wiltshire police forces also used the facility. Quite a coup for Avon and Somerset.

The training was done in a former stone quarry at Black Rock, near Police Headquarters at Portishead, and was so state-of-the-art that it had been opened by Theresa May when she was Home Secretary, in January 2016. Firing ranges, fake houses, interactive target systems and even an abseil training area.

It seemed to Diamond that everything about Black Rock was designed to make the average copper feel like PC Plod. Macho young men in Kevlar strutted about the ranges as if they were auditioning for the next Terminator movie. He refused to be intimidated. He knew something about Black Rock that wasn’t spoken about. The grand opening should have been two years earlier than it was. In August 2013, an anarchist group calling themselves ACAB — All Coppers Are Bastards — beat the security and started a fire that destroyed the newly constructed main building.

He felt better for knowing that.

Herb, his handgun instructor, turned out to be salt of the earth when they dropped the formalities, friendly, straight-talking and good at his job, the kind of man you’d want at your side in a crisis situation.

‘Why are you doing this?’ Herb asked after Diamond missed the target altogether for the umpteenth time. The only element he had passed so far was the draw from holster and that hadn’t been quick.

‘Order from on high,’ the big detective said.

‘Personal protection officer, are you?’

‘Not really.’

‘Because I wouldn’t want you protecting me or anyone I know.’

‘Thanks for that, Herb.’

‘In fact, I’m glad I’m wearing bulletproof clothes.’

‘Would you sign me off if I promise not to shoot anyone?’

‘That’s not the way things are done here. Want to try your luck at abseiling instead?’

‘Do you really want to know? I’ll stick to what I do best. Give me another twenty rounds, would you?’

‘How’s your vision?’ Herb asked, after that set of bullets had gone astray.

‘Twenty-twenty last time it was checked.’

‘How long ago was that?’

‘Let’s keep trying. It’s about hand-eye coordination in my case. I’m getting the idea of steadying the aim.’

Herb was silent for a while. He seemed to be checking who else was on the short range with them.

‘Maybe you could take the gun yourself and give me another demonstration,’ Diamond said, seeding an idea with Herb. He was subtle enough to say this without giving a wink.

‘Not allowed,’ Herb said.

Diamond unclipped the magazine to reload. ‘I’m okay at this bit.’ He dropped two bullets on the ground. ‘Ha, getting overconfident.’

Herb glanced right and left again. ‘Give it to me,’ he said through his teeth. But he didn’t fire at the target. He dipped into his pocket and found an attachment and clipped it to the pistol’s accessory rail.

‘What’s that?’ Diamond asked.

Herb held the gun as if he was about to demonstrate. ‘Watch the target.’

A small red dot appeared on the still unmarked centre mass target.

‘Can you see that?’ Herb said. ‘It’s a laser. When you get it on the bull, you squeeze the trigger.’

‘Smart.’

Diamond took over again. The laser dot hovered about a lot, but he got his timing right and scored his first hit.

‘Keep going,’ Herb said.

‘Magic,’ Diamond said.

‘Keep your voice down.’

Persistence and the laser sight attachment paid off. Herb removed the gadget from the gun and pocketed it before they went to see the chief examiner, who said, ‘Well done. The best cluster I’ve seen all week. You could get a job here.’ They signed Diamond off. That was on the short range. Herb decided not to try anything more ambitious.

Diamond left Black Rock thinking he would form a group called NACAB. Not all coppers are bastards.