Sue Miller
We like to show examples of work written as a result of the weekly writing classes at the King's Arms in Poland Street. This story resulted from a homework exercise where you were given the opening and closing sentences of a story and had to connect them coherently. In this case the sentences were picked out at random from a novel, 'Maigret and the Millionaires' by Simenon and are underlined.
Just about then an incident occurred, which though apparently insignificant was to affect his mood throughout the whole enquiry.
He looked down and Sophie’s cigarette had burnt a hold in his lovely new cashmere sweater.
Julian couldn’t actually believe it. For fuck’s sake, why was she so careless about everyone’s things? Why was she even smoking anymore? Nobody smoked – it was so outdated and filthy! He glared at her.
Sophie leant forward and stubbed her cigarette out on the piece of toast left on a past client’s plate. It fizzled briefly.
'How do you explain the petrol leak at the scene?' she hissed.
Charlie leant backwards. His eyes narrowed to slits …
'Now look here …' he growled threateningly in protest.
It was ruined Julian thought miserably – ruined. And it had cost him a small fortune.
'Let me just tell you that Harry and I here –' Charlie indicated to his left where Harry Anderson, suspected safe-breaker, sat solidly – 'we were with our mates at the races at that time. And furthermore …'
Well, thought Julian, that was his Xmas bonus gone. Sweater and matching scarf totally ruined by the burn mark. Unbelievable, it was catastrophic and –
'Sir! Sir!' Sophie was directing her words to him, damn her.
'Yes, DI Taylor?' He hoped he sounded as angry as he felt, he hoped his tone stung.
'Sir, do you want to add anything? Charlie says they weren’t there at the scene but – '
D.C.I. Johnson tried to concentrate and give a toss, but it was no good. He couldn’t take his eyes off that sodding burn mark.
'That will be all,' he said dully.
Charlie and Harry leapt up and rapidly left the pub.
A small white Citroen was parked on the other side of the street and they both got in. As they drove off Julian and Sophie spotted the large petrol leak on the pavement it left behind …