Surveillance
Smith and Burke had just taken over the surveillance car when the phone rang.
“Yes Sir. Okay, well, according to the last team there have been lots of comings and goings… Single people calling with carrier bags and leaving without them … Yes … Okay, so far they have never left the house empty … either one goes out or the other, but never together. Fine … will do Sir. I will let you know,” Burke said.
“What?” Smith asked.
“They want us to look in the house and plant a bug,” he replied.
“Right. But they rarely leave the place together.”
“I know, I told him. We’re to wait and to watch. Get some photos of the callers if we can. But we are not to cause anybody to get suspicious.”
“Easy for them to say,” Smith said reaching for his polystyrene cup of coffee.
Two hours later they got their chance. As the two suspects left the house together they looked around but didn’t seem too concerned. They had a small holdall with them, which the man carried, while the woman held on to his other arm. They passed the surveillance vehicle, an old battered British Gas van, and headed off towards the high street.
“Now’s our chance,” Burke said, “Get the gear.”
“Right,” Smith muttered.
They crossed the road and entered the front garden of the old Victorian house. Swiftly and expertly Burke jemmied opened the front door, but as they entered, a swift furry bundle scrambled towards them. Smith yelled, and the cat was out and down the path.
“Catch it,” Burke yelled.
“But I’m allergic,” Smith protested.
“Catch the bloody thing! If they come back and find it gone they’ll know someone was in here.”
“Oh shit,” Smith said retreating out of the door just in time to see a furry tail disappear across the road.
He ran out of the gate in pursuit. The cat disappeared down an alley next to a large, neglected looking house across the road. Smith followed it. The cat went under the side gate and Smith lost precious moments unlocking the rusty latch. Then he was in a neat back garden and started looking around for the cat.
“Nice pussy, where are you?”