Total pages in book: 133
Estimated words: 133127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133127 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 666(@200wpm)___ 533(@250wpm)___ 444(@300wpm)
“See you Thursday, Tully Pocket!” he calls.
“Why do you call me that? I’m not a pocket,” I ask as I walk away.
“I could think of lots of things to put in you.”
I bite the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling. Dirty bastard.
I leave the gym and walk out and get into my car. After I start the engine, I sit for a moment in the dimly lit parking lot and I smile goofily through the windshield as I grip the steering wheel with both hands.
What the actual fuck just happened?
I place a drop of the solution onto the glass and smear it across the film. I wait for a moment, and then bend to inspect it through the microscope. I smile as the computer in front of me runs its cross checks. It reads as a 99.5% match… finally!
“Got him.”
“You do?” Rourke frowns from his place on the workbench beside me.
“Yep.” I bend to see the microscopic molecules bounce around on the glass film in front of me.
“Let me see,” he says, barging in front of me.
I move to the side and Rourke looks through the microscope, a slow smile creeping on his face before he turns to me and we high five.
“He did it.” I look through the microscope again. “I fucking knew he did it.”
“Me, too.”
Rourke is my partner in crime. Or should I say he’s my partner in crime detection.
As a Forensic Scientist with the Federal Police, my days are spent analysing evidence, proving suspects are guilty, or in some instances innocent. A regular day for us may be analysing semen, crime scenes, studying photographs, or working with cold corpses. You name it, we do it. We’ve just found a positive match to DNA that was retrieved from a dead body found in a lake.
There’s a monster out there who has taken five beautiful young women’s lives. Ironically, despite his clever scheming and cover-ups, the semen was eventually found on a tissue in the suspect’s garbage bin. I pat Rourke on the shoulder as I walk past him. “It doesn’t pay to wank in tissues, Rourke.”
“Sure doesn’t, that’s why I flush mine down the toilet.”
I smile as I take off my gloves and pick up the phone to dial downstairs. Taz answers on the first ring. “Hit me,” he says.
“We got him.”
“Are you fucking serious?”
“Yep. A positive match.” I smile proudly.
“You beauty. We got the motherfucker!” he yells to the others in the office. The sound of them cheering blares through the phone and I laugh. We thought this guy was guilty for months, but we just couldn’t prove it. Undercover police have been going through his garbage in the middle of the night for months, and up until today we’ve been coming up empty-handed.
“Hey, do you still need a hand moving on Saturday?” Taz asks.
“Is that okay?” I wince. “I hate to impose.”
“Anything for our favourite nerd,” Taz replies.
I smile. The boys downstairs are like big brothers to me. I’ve worked here at the Federal Police quarters for three years and I love it. Every day is different, my work colleagues are some of the greatest people I know and solving crimes has become part of my blood. I’m addicted to the thrill of the chase. I never thought I would fall into forensics. Research was my original plan, but my brother Peter is a detective downstairs. He applied for the job on my behalf and, thankfully, I’ve ended up here and couldn’t be happier.
I’m moving at the weekend. My landlord rudely sold my apartment and I had no choice but to find a new home. My friends, Taz, Peter, and the police boys from downstairs are helping me move.
“We’ll have you moved in a couple of hours.”
“Thanks, I really do appreciate it.” I smile. “Now, go and arrest that motherfucker.”
“Will do, boss.” He hangs up and I turn back to Rourke, my trusty partner. The nerdy scientist with a heart of gold. “I think we deserve sushi for lunch.”
“I’m even getting spring rolls today.” He widens his eyes, exaggerating his excitement. “Splashing out.”
“Oh, you rebel. Living life in the fast lane.”
He throws his arm around my shoulder. “You have no idea how wild I can get, Tully Scott.”
The elevator doors open and Cole walks out. The two of us stop in our tracks. He’s the boss from downstairs, and lately he’s made it his mission to be in constant contact with the forensic team. It’s never been like that before, but I have to admit, it’s nice to have someone from management recognise what we do.
“I was just coming up to congratulate you guys,” he says as he shakes both of our hands. “A job well done. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” I smile. “Although it’s really the guys downstairs who deserve the accolades.”
“Not at all.” He smiles. “You’ve been working together for months on this, and I’m extremely happy with the outcome.”