The man on the phone said he had information he’d like to give to the police.
He had asked specifically for the detective. He sounded nervous and wanted to meet somewhere quiet, he didn’t want to be seen. He said he knew things. He said his life would be in danger if word got out that he was talking to the police. The detective understood this. He had several informers on his books. More than most, he thought. They arranged a meeting for the following evening in the old warehouse on the edge of town.
The detective found the man waiting when he arrived.
The man tapped his temple. “The first thing you need to know is that I can see into the future. Your future; or your two possible futures.” He smiled. “Your two equally possible futures.”
The detective felt uneasy. “Go on.”
“You recently had a person convicted and sent to prison for the bank robbery in the high street, and the money was recovered. Correct?”
“That’s right.”
The man went on. “You had an informer that enabled you to accomplish this, I believe.”
The detective was becoming wary. “Well, that might be the case, but…”
“Oh! My employers assure me that it is the case,” the man cut in, “and they wish to know who that person was. We know how important it is to maintain the anonymity of valuable informers, but my employers lost a sizeable investment when that took place and they now wish to put the matter right.”
The detective went to speak, but he fell silent when he saw the gun come out.
“Like I said,” the man’s tone became hard, “I can see into the future, and you have two equally possible futures.”
He quickly screwed the silencer on and raised the gun.
He whispered, “Decision time.”
