Pursuit

Emerging from the petrol station forecourt, Nick looked both ways along the road. He shielded his eyes against the glare as he squinted, trying to see where the woman had gone.

And then he saw her. "Gotcha," he said under his breath. "Now let's find out who you really are."

He set off, thinking he'd close the gap between them easily enough. After a few minutes though, she still seemed to be just as far ahead. She was covering the ground deceptively quickly, and he had to up his pace - while still trying to look as if he wasn't hurrying; no-one is reassured by a running copper, he told himself.

He'd known Cotter's gran for years - since he and Adam were kids - and over those years, she'd never seemed to change. Had always been friendly, and made a point of saying hello, too. Even when the two of them had no longer been friends.

Gaining on her slightly now, he was surprised by how fast she was moving. For a moment, he had the irrational thought that he was chasing someone young and fit, and merely disguised as an old woman.

Typical, he thought. Looks like rain. He hoped it was just going to be a shower, and pulled his cap a little further down.

As the road rose up a gentle slope, he could see where the High Street made a junction with it. This offered his quarry three potential directions: left or right along the High Street, or over the brow of the hill and down a road that was really a continuation of this one (though obviously called something else entirely).

At the High Street, he'd almost caught up with her. A quick glance either side told him she'd gone straight across - but as he hurried to the other side, he found himself alone, looking down an empty road.



Part Two begins here.