Tomek smiled awkwardly. He didn’t know what to say. It wasn’t often he received praise, let alone from an outside voice.
A moment later, Jim placed the card machine in front of Tomek.
‘Ready when you are,’ he said.
As Tomek reached into his wallet for his card, the man stopped him and said, ‘This one’s on me, all right?’
‘No, I couldn’t.’
‘Nonsense. It’s the least I can do.’
At that moment, Tomek felt truly humbled. To have a complete stranger appreciate the work he did, to understand and acknowledge the toll it took on him, was something he’d never experienced before. And after letting the man reach into his pocket and hand some cash across, Tomek stayed at the bar, watching the football with him. He joined in with the man’s frustrations at the players’ total lack of passing ability, and together they screamed at the television for ten minutes until half time.
Just as the whistle blew, Tomek felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
He held a finger up to his new friend, apologised, and stepped away. He answered the call without checking the caller ID and held his phone to his ear.
For a few seconds, there was nothing but silence.
Then came the sound of heavy breathing.
Then: ‘Hello, Tomek. Why haven’t you tried calling me? I’ve been waiting by my phone for weeks now. How are you? I have a little surprise for you when you get home. It should have arrived in the post today.’
TOMEK BOWEN RETURNS IN…
Death’s Saviour
ALSO BY JACK PROBYN
The DS Tomek Bowen Murder Mystery Series:
1) DEATH’S JUSTICE
Southend-on-Sea, Essex: Detective Sergeant Tomek Bowen — driven, dogged, and haunted by the death of his brother — is called to one of the most shocking crime scenes he has ever seen. A man has been ritualistically murdered and dumped in an allotment near the local airport. Early investigations indicate this was a man with a past. A past that earned him many enemies.
2) DEATH’S GRIP
Annabelle Lake thought she recognised the Ford Fiesta waiting outside her school, and the driver in it. She was wrong. Her body is discovered some time later, dangling from a swing in a local playground on Canvey Island.
3) DEATH’S TOUCH
When the fog clears one December morning in Essex, the body of a teenage girl is discovered lying face down in a field. But as soon as the investigation begins, Tomek discovers Lily’s death may be linked to a killing spree that has lain dormant for many years — with no one ever being brought to justice for it.
4) DEATH’S KISS
The body of a teenage girl is found face down in the middle of a field. The evidence surrounded her death is scant, until a vital clue uncovers a terrifying serial killer lying in wait…
5) DEATH’S TASTE
The body of a homeless man is found wedged between the beach huts of Thorpe Bay. But it isn’t until the victim’s identity is revealed that the town begins to sit up and wonder: who killed him, and why?
The Jake Tanner Crime Thriller Series:
Full-length novels that combine police procedure, organised crime and police corruption.
TOE THE LINE:
A small jeweller’s is raided in Guildford High Street and leaves police chasing their tails. Reports suggest that it’s The Crimsons, an organised crime group the police have been hunting for years. When the shop owner is kidnapped and a spiked collar is attached to her neck, Jake learns one of his own is involved – a police officer. As Jake follows the group on a wild goose chase, he questions everything he knows about his team. Who can he trust? And is he prepared to find out?
WALK THE LINE:
A couple with a nefarious secret are brutally murdered in their London art gallery. Their bodies cleaned. Their limbs dismembered. And the word LIAR inscribed on the woman’s chest. For Jake Tanner it soon becomes apparent this is not a revenge killing. There’s a serial killer loose on the streets of Stratford. And the only thing connecting the victims is their name: Jessica. Jake’s pushed to his mental limits as he uncovers The Community, an online forum for singles and couples to meet. But there’s just one problem: the killer's been waiting for him... and he’s hungry for his next kill.
UNDER THE LINE:
DC Jake Tanner thought he’d put the turmoil of the case that nearly killed him behind him. He was wrong. When Danny Cipriano’s body is discovered buried in a concrete tomb, Jake's wounds are reopened. But one thing quickly becomes clear. The former leader of The Crimsons knew too much. And somebody wanted him silenced. For good. The only problem is, Jake knows who.
CROSS THE LINE:
For years, Henry Matheson has been untouchable, running the drug trade in east London. Until the body of his nearest competitor is discovered burnt to a lamppost in his estate. Gang war gone wrong, or a calculated murder? Only one man is brave enough to stand up to him and find out. But, as Jake Tanner soon learns, Matheson plays dirty. And in the estate there are no rules.
OVER THE LINE:
Months have passed since Henry Matheson was arrested and sent to prison. Months have passed since Henry Matheson, one of east London’s most dangerous criminals, was arrested. Since then DC Jake Tanner and the team at Stratford CID have been making sure the case is watertight. But when a sudden and disastrous fraudulent attack decimates Jake's personal finances, he is propelled into the depths of a dark and dangerous underworld, where few resurface.
