Silent Night

FIFTY THREE

Four days later Archer and Maddy were standing on the street in Union Square in the middle of the afternoon. It was just coming up to sundown on Christmas Eve as shoppers, mostly men, rushed around buying last minute presents. A charity Santa was ringing a bell just behind them, set up just outside Whole Foods. The same group of carol singers from Pier 17 were standing across the Square beside the brass band, singing carols and collecting donations for charity. Wrapped up warm in a new grey hoodie and his same green coat, Archer had his lower leg in a cast, crutches under his arm, a strip of tape over his nose between two black eyes. He faced Maddy, who was standing with her back to a taxi, the rear door open. She lived just off Union Square but her apartment was now empty, her things already on the way to her new place.

‘So this is it,’ Archer said with a smile.

Maddy nodded.

‘Got all your stuff?’

She nodded. She moved forward and kissed him. Then they hugged.

‘Goodbye Archer,’ she said in his ear.

‘Goodbye, doc.’

She kissed him again, then turned and moved into the cab, closing the door. As Archer leaned back on his crutches, the driver pulled away from the kerb and the car moved off down the street, turning left and heading uptown until it was out of sight. Watching it go, Archer had a brief attack of déjà vu.

Then he hobbled back over towards Josh who was standing nearby, watching him with a smile. He had his arm in a white sling. The bullet had been removed, the damage cleaned and stitched up.

‘Off she goes.’

Josh smiled. ‘Safe and well. Where’s she going?’

‘California. She’s already been offered a job there in the New Year. Fresh start.’

Josh nodded. He checked his watch with his good arm.

‘C’mon. I owe you a beer.’

Together, the two men moved down the street, headed towards a bar just down 14 Street. Josh walked slowly as Archer negotiated the gritted sidewalk with his crutches. The lights and decorations in the windows they passed were festive and welcoming. The city was showing itself off in all its glory. Archer sensed Josh huffing beside him; his partner had spent the last week trying to calm down after missing the finale of the operation and furious at not being there to play his part. Archer looked at him and grinned.

‘There’ll be a next time.’

‘There better not be,’ Josh said. ‘But you left it pretty damn close, didn’t you?’

‘You know I like to be dramatic.’

‘You should take up skydiving. You’re a natural.’

‘Clearly,’ Archer said, pointing with his crutches.

‘You could save them some money. Only one parachute between two people.’

Archer grinned as the two cops walked towards the bar. Josh was the first to the door and he pulled it open, letting Archer in first. Inside it was warm and inviting. As the two of them made their way inside, Archer saw a familiar face sitting at a table.

It was Marquez.

She smiled when she saw them, stepping off her stool and giving them both a hug. Archer lowered himself onto a seat, stowing his crutches whilst the other two shrugged off their coats. Marquez had already got a round in, a glass of wine in front of her, two bottles of ice-cold Miller waiting for the two men. She looked at them and tried to stifle a smile. She failed and giggled.

‘What’s so funny?’ Josh asked.

‘Look at the state of you two.’

She had a point; both of them looked as if they’d been hit by a train. A shot up arm, a broken ankle, a busted nose and two black eyes.

‘Maybe take the photos this year instead of being in them,’ she said.

They both smiled, leaning forward and taking their bottles of beer. Archer lifted it to his mouth then thought for a moment and made a toast.

‘Hey. To Jorgensen.’

The other two looked at him for a moment. Marquez smiled and they touched drinks in a toast.

‘Jorgensen.’

‘Jorgensen.’

There was a pause as they drank.

‘Right, let’s get some food,’ Josh said. A waitress from the bar was already approaching them, menus in her hands. She’d seen the two men enter and noticed that they both were pretty roughed up.

‘What happened?’ she asked, seeing the bruising on Archer’s face and the white cast on his leg.

‘Had an accident,’ he told her. ‘Skydiving.’

‘What happened?’

‘Parachute malfunction.’

‘It didn’t open?’

‘I wasn’t wearing one.’

She looked at him, then laughed, assuming he was joking.

‘Rather you than me,’ she said, placing the menus on the table. ‘I’d never have the guts to jump out of a plane.’

Archer smiled.

‘You’d be surprised what can motivate you.’



THE END



###



About the author:



Born in Sydney, Australia and raised in England and Brunei, Tom Barber has always had a passion for writing and story-telling. It took him to Nottingham University, England, where he graduated in 2009 with a 2.1 BA Hons in English Studies. Post-graduation, Tom followed this by moving to New York City and completing the 2 Year Meisner Acting training programme at The William Esper Studio, furthering his love of acting and screen-writing.

Upon his return to the UK in late 2011, Tom set to work on his debut novel, Nine Lives, which has since become a five-star rated Amazon UK Kindle hit. The following books, The Getaway and Blackout, have been equally successful, garnering five-star reviews in the US and the UK.

Silent Night is the fourth novel in the Sam Archer series.