Читать книгу You Have Been Murdered! - Michael Scopus - Страница 7

Inverness, Scotland

The radio announcer was reading the news in a broad Scots accent: “According to a statement released today by Detective Inspector Morrison of Police Scotland, police have identified up to one hundred ‘ISIS’, so-called Islamic State, supporters in Scotland since the terror group rose to prominence.”

The announcer then modified his voice to a lighter tone and continued: “And in local news, traffic on the A9 approaching the south side of the city has come to a standstill as a lorry has jack-knifed shedding its load.”

David switched off the radio. The rain was falling gently on an overcast day in Inverness, Scotland as David drives the small white courier van over Ness Bridge crossing the River Ness and into the city center. He admired, as always, the hue of the red sandstone of the magnificent Inverness Castle peering over the tops of the trees in front of him. It appeared as if the low, gray clouds were almost touching the castle turrets. He revved the engine and geared down, speeding up to enable him to just pass the traffic lights at the end of the bridge before they changed to red. Entering into Bridge Street, he notices a place to stop on the left-hand side at the end of the High Street and parks his van on double yellow no-parking lines. He glances around to ensure there are no traffic wardens in sight and then presses the red hazard lights button on the dashboard of the van. Placing his Tottenham Hotspur’s football club cap firmly on his head he pauses to check himself in the rear-view mirror before stepping out of the van wearing his company issue yellow Hi-Vis vest over his jacket. Taking a parcel from the back of the van he strides off up the High Street on the pastel-colored paving bricks of the pedestrian walkway with the parcel safely tucked under his arm. Nimbly weaving his way through the crowds of shoppers without breaking his stride, he rounds the corner into Hamilton Street where he comes face to face with a man dressed in an orange Hi-Vis vest standing in the middle of the path handing out leaflets. David quickly sidesteps to pass him as the man thrusts out a hand with a leaflet to David.

“Please take one, friend,” the man smiled as he offered the leaflet. “It could save your life.”

Curious, David stopped for a second to take the leaflet with his free hand. He glanced at it. It was upside down. Turning it the right way up he read the bold heading:

‘You Have Been Murdered!’

“What? That can’t be right.” he thought to himself and then read it again:

‘You Have Been Murdered!’

“Well that’s just lovely that is.” he mused to himself. Another wet and cold Monday and now he’d been bloody well murdered!

David glanced back at the man that had handed him the leaflet. The man was wearing a smile but didn’t look like he had much to be happy about, standing there on the street corner in his thin anorak and Hi-Vis vest in the cold September rain. Deciding he would keep the leaflet and read it later, David forced a half-smile in return, stuffed the leaflet into his coat pocket, turned up his coat collar against the wind and continued on his way. Entering the doorway directly behind the man, he took the flight of steps in the hallway in front of him two-at-a-time up to the first floor. Pushing open the swing door, he placed the parcel on the desk in front of him. The girl at the desk hardly looked up from reading her magazine but signed on the electronic signature machine that David offered her, said ‘cheers’ and took the parcel. David took the steps down two-at-a-time and exited the building again all in less than a minute he noted as he glanced at his watch. Not seeing the man with the leaflets outside, he was a bit puzzled that he would have disappeared so soon. He looked up and down the street. The crowd of shoppers had also disappeared, and the previously bustling high street was now deserted.

“That’s strange!” he thought to himself as he strode back to the van looking over his shoulder. It had stopped raining and the sun was beginning to break through the clouds.