Complicity Part 1 (1/5) By Nick Quantrill

(1/5), (2/5), (3/5), (4/5), (5/5).

Complicity is the new crime-fiction novella set in Hull featuring Detective Sergeant Coleman and Detective Constable Maynard. The thisisull.com serialisation is accompanied by the stunning black and white photography of Roland Standaert, which illustrates the story and takes a unique look at the city. Complicity and other stories are available for free. Please contact hullcrimefiction@hotmail.co.uk. for further details. Roland can be contacted at rockgraphy@mac.com.

'Excuse me sir?' said the young male, sporting dreadlocks and a charity tabard. Detective Sergeant Coleman hadn't seen him and had no chance of altering his path. 'Can I ask you to spare a minute for Oxfam?' Coleman had a meeting with DI McCormack to attend and was still at the top of Whitefriargate, a good ten minute walk from the station. He looked the youth square in the eye. He couldn't have been much out of his teenage years and it looked like a good wash wouldn't do him any harm. 'No' replied Coleman, shaking his head 'you can't'.

'It'll only taking a minute. If I could just tell you about the work we're doing and how a donation from you could assist in this?' 'The work that we're doing?' he said, stopping dead in the rain. The youth was practically dancing as he bounced from leg to leg as the rain bounced off his face. 'That's right' he beamed. 'I'm sure you've seen all the dreadful pictures on your television. It's really terrible, but with your help we could change the situation out there.'

'What about your help? How are you going to be helping?' 'I'm trying to raise awareness and funds so that we can get the necessary aid out to the affected areas. With your financial assistance we can make a real difference.' The youth was still bouncing from side-to-side as he carried on with his well-rehearsed sales pitch. Coleman grunted and tried to sidestep him. Although he was probably fifteen years older, he was in good shape and he thought that he could easily side step the youth. 'All we're asking for is £5 per month; you can simply fill in the standing order form right away so we can get things moving.'

Coleman stopped dead. 'Can we quit this we bullshit? I see you down here most days and every time, you're wearing a different charity's tabard. If I want to give more to charity, I'll do so directly, cut out the middleman, so to speak. That way they might actually receive all off my donation without having to pay your company its blood money.' 'It's only £5 a month sir...' Coleman pushed past without a second glance. It was little more than emotional robbery; he wasn't going to be part of it. He really wasn't in the mood for these people trying to play him for an idiot...not today. He spotted a newspaper vendor on his left and crossed towards him to look at the board.

Continued... Next Page (2/5)

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