Skinner's rules

77

It was still dark when they returned to the beach next morning.

If Mackie sensed a change in their body language, he said nothing. He and Mcllhenney were both tired, irritable, and ready for the road.

‘They went out last night, together, on foot,’ Mackie said. ‘Came back about eleven o’clock, arguing. He was a bit pissed, I’d have said. Apart from that, nothing at all. If this thing lasts for another day, you two can’t pull that hotel cover again. I’ll have the Transit recovered and we’ll bring it up tonight. That way we can split the night duty. Right, we’re off.’

They disappeared into the lessening gloom.

They found that Mackie had left behind a thick travelling rug. They settled into their inconspicuous hide as the sun rose on another fine, warm day. The Harvey cottage stood curtained against the light.

They sat in silence for a while. Then Mario drew her down on the rug beside him. They kissed again with the ease and comfort of lovers.

‘Once this job’s over,’ said Maggie, ‘I’ll make sure we’re never assigned together again. If I was caught with my hand in your pants, it would set the advance of women in the force back twenty years!’

‘That’s fine, but watch who you do work with. Us Italians are notorious for our jealousy, and us Irish are even worse.’

She ruffled his black hair. ‘Just as long as I don’t find out you’ve got a wife and three kids!’ They were still laughing when they heard the sudden roar of the Toyota.

They spun round on the rug, and saw the sleek black car reverse fast out of the driveway and power up the lane. At the top, it turned right. They heard tyres squeal as it raced off, heading in the wrong direction down the one-way street.

Mario started to jump up, but Maggie held him back. ‘Wait. The job is surveillance of the Harveys. We couldn’t even see who was driving. t could be back in a minute, for all we know.’

‘Sure. Maggie, in a place like this you don’t go for the Sunday papers at seventy miles an hour, the wrong way up a one-way street. That car isn’t coming back, and we’ve lost it. I think we should call Andy Martin for instructions.’