Before she could finish, she heard a grunt, and as she turned, she saw Joseph flip the boy into some weird straightarmed lock position that immobilized the youth totally. Before she could even speak, she heard the sergeant whisper, ‘One more move towards your pocket, and you’ll wake up with both shoulders dislocated, and your arms ready for plaster casts, understand?’

The boy’s eyes widened to an impossible size, but all he could do was groan.

To her total surprise, Joseph moved with lightening speed and swapped his grip from one hand to the other, never for one microsecond losing his hold on the boy, or slackening the vicelike grip. The detective then slipped his free hand into the jacket pocket and withdrew it, holding a wicked-looking blade.

Nikki’s jaw dropped. ‘I bet you didn’t learn that move in Bible class!’

Joseph’s eyes snapped up, and for a moment she really didn’t like the expression that flashed across his face. Then, just as swiftly, it turned to one of reproach. ‘I thought we had an agreement?’

‘Sorry, sorry. Just an observation! That was nothing I’ve ever seen taught at Police Training School, and it’s not the kind of thing you learn when sorting out the lager louts on a Friday night, either.’

Joseph remained silent then, pushing the terrified boy ahead of him, made his way back down the alley.

Nikki followed, still wondering at what she had just witnessed. She was tough. She pulled no punches, and had been close to overstepping the mark on far too many occasions, but that was in a different league altogether. It wasn’t just the unorthodox move, it was the sheer speed, not only of his actions, but of his assessment of the situation.

What you saw was most definitely not what you got with Detective Sergeant Joseph Easter. Nikki remembered that strange, ice-cold look he’d given her, and shivered.

CHAPTER TEN

NIKKI SPED THROUGH the arrangements with the Dean, and hurried back to the police station.

Inside, she stopped and stared at Joseph. She had given him two chances to talk to her, to and from the campus, but he had chosen to say nothing.

‘A word in private, Sergeant.’ She said, then marched up the stairs to her office.

‘Close the door.’ She flopped into her chair and pointed to one on the other side of her desk. ‘Do you have anything you’d like to share with me, Detective?’

Joseph sat down slowly, but stared at his hands, rather than at her. ‘Don’t we have a suspect to interview?’

‘Yes we do, and you’re wasting time by avoiding talking to me. As soon as you’ve told me what the hell all that was about, we go interview Mr Brown. Okay?’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘And until that happens, we sit here for as long as it takes.’