“So where is he?” the first officer asked.
I sighed. “After I called for an ambulance, I came over here to check on Rami and Raj and while my back was turned, he slipped out.”
“Slipped out?” his partner asked.
I didn’t particularly like his snide tone, so I frowned at him. “Like a fart in church, mate.”
The more amiable of the three let out an audible snort before starting to laugh. When he’d finished laughing, he sobered. “How badly was he hit?”
“Not arterial. He’s wearin’ a heavy, green camouflage coat.” I lifted my hand to show how tall he was. “He’s big…six three, if I were to guess, about forty, thinning hair,” I said. “Looks like he didn’t want to wait around to be seen.”
As I said it, an ambulance drove into the car park. One of the three police officers standing at the counter walked out the door, probably to greet the paramedics and tell them they weren’t needed. I noticed the robber had been cuffed by the fourth officer and was lying face down on the ground, still unmoving.
“You knocked him out?” the officer who’d checked my ID asked.
“I did.”
He smiled at me. “Nice work, Good.” He looked me up and down and then glanced over at the guy on the ground. “He’s a lot bigger than you,” he said, turning back to me. He sounded impressed which suited me fine. I didn’t mind being underestimated.
“Aye, but I’m scrappy.”
He grinned. “Well, you know the drill. We’d like a formal statement down at the station.”
I’d thought as much. “Okay, but I need to call my boss first.”
The officer nodded. “By all means, Good.”
I pulled out my mobile, glancing at my watch as he began talking to Rami and Raj. It was well after 1:30 and I knew Candy wasn’t going to appreciate being woken at this hour. Hitting speed dial, I waited as the mobile rang several times. When he finally picked up, I could tell by the tone of his voice that he’d been fast asleep.
“Good? Is that you?”
“Aye, boss. Sorry to wake ya but I thought you’d want to know, I got meself in a wee spot of bother tonight.”
He cleared his throat and I was sure I heard the rustle of covers. “What kind of trouble, Patsy? Are you all right?” Just like that, Candy was all business.
“I’m grand. Good as gold. I was in the local shop here when a robber came in. One thing led to another and well…I knocked the bugger out.”
“You knocked the bugger out,” he repeated slowly as if I was being justtoodroll at one thirty in the morning.
I glanced back at the police officers who were trying to rouse the man before explaining. “Yes, sir. I just thought I should tell ya, in case I don’t make it into the office on time tomorrow. Seems I have to go down to the station to give them a statement.”
“That’s not a problem, Patsy. Would you like me to meet you?”
“Oh, no, no bother, boss. That’s not why I called. I can handle it. There was a shootin’ is all and they’re—”
“Stop.”
I immediately did as he asked. “Yes, boss?”
“Did you shoot the robber? I’m confused. I thought you said you knocked him out.”
“I was unarmed, sir. ‘Twas the robber who did the shootin’. He winged a homeless lookin’ fella when I tried to get the gun away from him.” I swallowed hard, feeling like absolute shite about my role in the man’s injury.
“Is he okay? The homeless man?” he clarified.
“Not sure, sir. He left the shop when I went to check on the shop assistant and his brother. Bugger didn’t wait for the ambulance.”
“I see. Okay, well, hopefully he goes to a hospital to get it taken care of.”
