‘I heard. You know me when I’m off, I can’t keep my head out of my emails. I can’t believe so many people stood around doing nothing during that attack. Normally some good Samaritan steps forward or calls the police before things get too out of hand.’
Gina nodded. ‘It seems people just hang around recording these things on their phones. We had seven recordings and, as you know, it took twelve minutes before someone stepped in and helped the man. We had lots of videoed evidence but the poor man had his jaw broken after ten minutes. In my book, that could have been prevented.’
‘I suppose sometimes people are scared to step in, just in case they get hurt. That doesn’t excuse them not calling the police.’ Briggs smiled at the server. ‘Could I get a top up, please?’
Lucy nodded from across the room, where she was admiring the scarf that June was knitting.
Gina tapped her finger on the table. ‘I know people get scared around trouble and I’d normally agree with you, but I heard the running commentaries on the recordings that were taken. There was a lot of, look at them go and phwoar, what a punch as they were watching it through a screen. It was almost like they were detached from what was happening in front of them. Bizarre. I couldn’t help feeling a bit sick after watching them while mulling over what we’re becoming.’
‘Sounds like it’s a good job that case is over.’
‘This time.’ Gina stared through the cobwebbed window at the old church that had been situated on the end of Cleevesford High Street for two hundred years. The giant cross was lit up on the front of the building. Several male youths and a couple of girls were hanging around in front of the Perspex bus stop.
Lucy sashayed towards Briggs and placed the large milky coffee, along with the order slip on the table. ‘Extra caffeine shot, just the way you like it.’
‘Thank you.’ He watched as a couple of cars passed by. ‘It certainly is a funny old world and we meet them all.’
‘You can say that again.’
Briggs took another sip of his coffee and Gina flinched as someone burst through the door. A small gale blew a flurry of dried leaves, scattering them across the café.
The man in the long navy coat stood at the counter, pulling at the thread unravelling at one of the cuffs. ‘Large black coffee and one of those reduced-price chicken sandwiches to go.’ He stared at everyone in the room, one by one, before slamming his fist on the counter. ‘Is anyone here serving?’
Lucy hurried to the counter. ‘Ooh, sorry about that. Bill must be out the back. You’re in luck, the sandwich has just been reduced. That will be three pounds and seventy pence.’
‘Rude or what?’ Gina shook her head but continued to listen as she watched through the reflection in the window. Her nostrils twitched; the smell of stale sweat and smoke filled them as the man fidgeted.
She felt a wash of tension working its way through her muscles. Maybe she needed this spa break more than she thought.
The man fumbled in his pockets, emptying change, keys and crumpled tissues onto the counter. He pulled his black beanie hat closer to his eyebrows, then he began counting his money and getting aggravated by a strand of wool trailing from his fingerless glove. ‘That’s expensive. How can you charge that for coffee and a sandwich? You said it was reduced? If it’s about to go off, you should be giving it away.’
Gina turned to get a better look.
‘Sorry, we have overheads to pay. We have to charge what we charge.’ Lucy began to tremble slightly.
‘Okay,’ he leaned in and read her name tag, ‘Lucy – lovely Lucy.’ He stared at her before breaking into a grin. ‘Forget the sandwich, just make the coffee and make it to go. Your sandwiches look shit anyway.’ He shook his head. ‘Go on then. What are you waiting for?’ He paused and sneered. ‘Why are you staring at me? Fancy a bit of rough? I could show you a good time.’ He reached out to touch her.
‘Okay. I’m back.’ Bill shuffled through the door. Lucy swallowed as she nodded to Bill and he began to make the drink. She took the change from the counter and rang it up.
‘Boo.’ The man laughed as she flinched. ‘Hurry up with the coffee, mate. What’s taking you people so long?’ He slammed his fist on the counter three times in a row, causing the charity tin to rattle.
Gina went to stand and Briggs placed his hand over hers. ‘You okay?’ She pulled her hand away.
‘Too right. I’ll show this idiot that he can’t speak to people like that.’
Briggs nodded and smiled at the same time as Bill placed the coffee on the counter.
‘Hey, there’s no need to speak to her like that. You need to apologise.’
‘Says who?’
She calmly stood and took a few steps towards the counter. ‘DI Harte. I can’t have you intimidating these lovely people.’
He hiccupped and belched, exhaling the stench of beer. ‘Ooh, the big bad police. I’ve done nothing wrong. Come on, arrest me for buying a coffee!’ A wide smile formed across his face. He grabbed the coffee. ‘Thank you.’ The rude stranger stared back at Gina. ‘Better now?’ He turned on the scuffed heel of his muck-coated shoe and hurried out of the shop, blowing dried leaves everywhere once again.
Gina hurried back to her seat and watched him as he walked away. Her gaze stopped on something more troublesome. ‘Dammit. Your coffee will have to wait.’ Gina scooped her keys, the chocolate and the order slip from the table and dropped them into her coat pocket. She left a ten-pound note to cover the bill. Briggs threw a few pieces of loose change on top of it.
‘Thank you,’ Lucy called as they hurried out the door.
Gina held her hand up and headed towards the commotion. It was all kicking off tonight.
Chapter Three
Gina flung her bag across her chest as they ran. A group of teens – including one who resembled a younger Justin Bieber – were jeering at another boy who lay on the floor, cowering. A taller boy threw a full can of pop down at him, which made him curl up more.
‘Wait up.’ Briggs brushed her back with his arm as he caught up.
Pushing her way through the crowd that had gathered, Gina hurried to the victim and kneeled down beside him, then glared up at the group. ‘Police.’ She held her identification up and Briggs followed suit. The boys shuffled back a little and a couple of the teens scarpered. ‘Are you okay?’
The boy sat up and nodded. ‘Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be? We were just messin’.’ He glanced back and forth as he stumbled to a stand and pushed through the four boys that were left. ‘Wankers.’ He began to walk away.
Briggs finished his phone call to the station and chased after the boy. ‘Wait, that’s a nasty shiner you’ve got there.’
The instigator nudged his tall friend before scarpering down one of the side streets, followed by the last two. As the rest of the crowd vanished, leaving only the victim, Gina nodded at Briggs. ‘Keep him here.’ She ran across the road, narrowly missing a white pickup as she darted down several streets following their calls in the distance. The injured boy may have been okay but watching the Justin Bieber lookalike kicking him had fuelled her anger only a little bit more than watching the crowd stand by and gee him on.