Tomorrow Has Been Cancelled
by Bill Robertson
Genre: Crime/Mystery
Swearwords: None.
Description: A chase comes to a climax on a rain-soaked city street.
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The rain pelted down, plastering the streets in furious torrents. Nicolson could feel the cold water soaking through his socks as he tried to walk faster. He could see Jarrett just ahead. The man was walking stooped over, collar turned up against the downpour, oblivious to the fact that he was being followed. Nicolson increased his pace to draw closer and reached inside his jacket to pull out his gun. If Jarrett made it onto the High Street with its milling throngs of Saturday shoppers then the jig would well and truly be up. His feet slapped against the sodden pavement. Jarrett must’ve finally sensed he wasn’t alone. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw first Nicolson and then the black shape clutched in his right fist. Jarrett froze as the gun came up to point at him. The rain stung Nicolson’s face; he blinked, trying to see clearly enough to get a shot through the incessant downpour.
Nicolson cursed as the other man broke into a run, sending gouts of water flying up from the ground to mark his stride. Nicolson gave chase and regretted not putting his trainers on this morning. Jarrett tried to get cute and cut around a bus stop, skidded on the slippery concrete and went crashing to the ground with his arms flailing out in front of him to break his fall. He rolled over clutching his wrist, his face a mask of pain. Nicolson was on him in seconds pinning him to the ground. He stuck the gun under Jarrett’s chin, pressing the barrel hard against the jaw bone.
‘You should have paid me my share when you had the chance, Pete.’
‘It’s all just a big misunderstanding, Ray, I swear. On my mother’s life, I was going to give it to you.’
‘Where is it?’
Jarrett’s eyes bulged in their sockets. Rain streaked down his upturned face, making it look like he was weeping buckets.
‘I don’t have it on me now. It’ll take me a bit of time to get the cash together. I can give you it tomorrow.’
Nicolson had heard enough. Jarrett had taken him for a mug once already. He wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to do it again.
‘Tomorrow has been cancelled,’ he said and pulled the trigger.
Swearwords: None.
Description: A chase comes to a climax on a rain-soaked city street.
_____________________________________________________________________
The rain pelted down, plastering the streets in furious torrents. Nicolson could feel the cold water soaking through his socks as he tried to walk faster. He could see Jarrett just ahead. The man was walking stooped over, collar turned up against the downpour, oblivious to the fact that he was being followed. Nicolson increased his pace to draw closer and reached inside his jacket to pull out his gun. If Jarrett made it onto the High Street with its milling throngs of Saturday shoppers then the jig would well and truly be up. His feet slapped against the sodden pavement. Jarrett must’ve finally sensed he wasn’t alone. He glanced back over his shoulder and saw first Nicolson and then the black shape clutched in his right fist. Jarrett froze as the gun came up to point at him. The rain stung Nicolson’s face; he blinked, trying to see clearly enough to get a shot through the incessant downpour.
Nicolson cursed as the other man broke into a run, sending gouts of water flying up from the ground to mark his stride. Nicolson gave chase and regretted not putting his trainers on this morning. Jarrett tried to get cute and cut around a bus stop, skidded on the slippery concrete and went crashing to the ground with his arms flailing out in front of him to break his fall. He rolled over clutching his wrist, his face a mask of pain. Nicolson was on him in seconds pinning him to the ground. He stuck the gun under Jarrett’s chin, pressing the barrel hard against the jaw bone.
‘You should have paid me my share when you had the chance, Pete.’
‘It’s all just a big misunderstanding, Ray, I swear. On my mother’s life, I was going to give it to you.’
‘Where is it?’
Jarrett’s eyes bulged in their sockets. Rain streaked down his upturned face, making it look like he was weeping buckets.
‘I don’t have it on me now. It’ll take me a bit of time to get the cash together. I can give you it tomorrow.’
Nicolson had heard enough. Jarrett had taken him for a mug once already. He wasn’t going to give him the opportunity to do it again.
‘Tomorrow has been cancelled,’ he said and pulled the trigger.
About the Author
Born in Perth and now living just outside Aberdeen, Bill Robertson has created a large body of work showcasing a tendency towards the darker side of life and stories which leave an indelible impression on the reader long after the final word is read.
An active member of Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree Writer’s Group, Bill’s work has appeared in Journeys, an anthology of work from the group, and most recently in a chapbook, Himself by the Seaside. He has performed some of his stories as part of the Word and New Words festivals and other events around the north-east. He has also self published two e-books: Reindeer Dust, a short Christmas story, and When the Revolution Comes, a collection of linked short stories concerning an uprising in a fictional eastern European country. A number of his stories have featured on the website http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk, where he has been chosen as the featured Friday story a number of times and has won a number of competitions with his short stories and flash fiction pieces.
If you would like to hear an interview with Bill and listen to him read some of his work, please go to this link to hear Bill’s appearance on Mearns FM's Smith on Sunday show. You can also keep up to date with Bill’s work by visiting http://www.billrobertson55.wordpress.com, where he often shares work in progress as well as finished stories.
An active member of Aberdeen’s Lemon Tree Writer’s Group, Bill’s work has appeared in Journeys, an anthology of work from the group, and most recently in a chapbook, Himself by the Seaside. He has performed some of his stories as part of the Word and New Words festivals and other events around the north-east. He has also self published two e-books: Reindeer Dust, a short Christmas story, and When the Revolution Comes, a collection of linked short stories concerning an uprising in a fictional eastern European country. A number of his stories have featured on the website http://www.shortbreadstories.co.uk, where he has been chosen as the featured Friday story a number of times and has won a number of competitions with his short stories and flash fiction pieces.
If you would like to hear an interview with Bill and listen to him read some of his work, please go to this link to hear Bill’s appearance on Mearns FM's Smith on Sunday show. You can also keep up to date with Bill’s work by visiting http://www.billrobertson55.wordpress.com, where he often shares work in progress as well as finished stories.