Read Black & Blue: Where it all began…… (D.S Hunter Kerr) for Free Online Page B

turned to see Emma Goodwin – the female officer on his group.
    She said, “The Sergeant’s told me to partner -up with you tonight.”
    Emma was a couple of years older than h im and had just completed her two year probation. She had recently transferred in from Sheffield to be nearer her home.
    Hunter pushed his tray back into an upright metal storage cabinet. “Great, I’ll just get my gear together.” As he headed towards the locker room he broke into a smile. He preferred patrolling with another, particularly on the night shift. The early hours dragged enough when in pairs; on ones own they seemed interminable. Also it was his first time out with Emma – he knew very little about her and it would be good to get to know her better.
     
    The first couple of hours were quiet – there was very little radio traffic – even from Officers in the town centre, and talking amongst themselves Hunter and Emma settled on the fact that it was going to be a steady night of walking the streets, checking door handles.
    On their way back to the station for their meal they decided to put in a dog-leg through the industrial estate and give it the once over. Approaching the final building, a torch-light flicking behind a window, lighthouse fashion, caught them by surprise.
    Hunter stopped, pulling up Emma by the arm. The hackles rose at the back of his neck and he exchanged looks with her. He whispered, “They don’t have security on in there do they?”
    Emma shook her head, “Not that I’m aware of, it’s just a small engineering firm.”
    “That’s what I thought. You radio in I’m just going to check it out.”
    As Hunter made his way around the side of the flat roofed building he could just make out Emma’s voice, drifting away as she called in her report.
    Turning the second corner, to the rear, he spotted a pair of double doors. One of them was slightly ajar. Slowing his pace he tipped up onto the balls of his feet and curled his fingers around his hasp.
    Suddenly, the wooden door exploded outwards , clattering Hunter’s chest and knocking him sideways against metal railings. A split-second later a sharp pain registered to the front of his head. He felt his legs melt and he sunk to the ground, a sickening sensation overwhelming him. As he tried to figure out what had happened he found himself looking skywards. At the periphery of his vision he caught sight of a shadowy shape hovering above him, and then he felt a series of fast and hard thumps pelting his upper body. It took him a nanosecond to realise he was being repeatedly kicked. In the background he could hear Emma shouting.
    He reeled away as another blow caught his face – surprisingly he felt no pain , and in that same instance an inner strength erupted inside. Hunter dodged another blow and lashed upwards and out with his foot. He knew he had connected when he heard a scrunching sound followed by a loud groan.
    At the same time he saw his attacker stumble backwards, his arms wind-milling to stop himself falling.
    Hunter leapt to his feet and took up the boxing stance his father had taught him in the gym. He sprang forward putting in two quick jabs, followed by an uppercut. Every punch connected.
    As his attacker staggered back again he got his first proper look at the assailant. He thought he recognised the dark haired man in his twenties. Hunter was about to way in again with more punches, when his partner rushed past him, launching herself at the aggressor. She grabbed hold of the man’s hair and began tugging.
    “Hold him,” Hunter shouted, swinging in a clenched fist. Just before he connected the man yanked back his head and dropped his shoulder. The arc of Hunter’s punch flew over the man’s head and caught the side of Emma’s cheek.
    She let out a squeal and released her hold.
    Pulling himself free the man leaned back and swung in a fist.
    Hunter saw i t coming and ducked. He felt a rush of air brush his cheek as it whipped past his face,