Doctor Who_ Deep Blue - Mark Morris [18]
„Oi!‟
The Doctor halted in mid-spin. „Hmm?‟
„Are you going to pay for this or what?‟
„Yes, of course.‟ The Doctor rammed his hand into his coat pocket and produced a dozen or so glittering purple shells which he scattered across the small counter in front of the man. The man gaped at them in astonishment, then spluttered, „Hey, wait a minute.‟
But the Doctor was already halfway down the road, hurrying in the direction of the harbour. „It‟s all right, keep the change,‟ he called back over his shoulder.
The earlier excitement had died down by the time the Doctor reached the police barrier. There was a smattering of curious onlookers, though with nothing much to see. On the jetty, a couple of hundred yards beyond the makeshift cordon of yellow tape, a lone uniformed policeman stood guard beside a trawler whose deck was covered by several tarpaulins.
„Excuse me,‟ the Doctor shouted, raising a hand in an attempt to snag the policeman‟s attention. Unsuccessful, he cried out more loudly, „Ahoy there!‟, but again the policeman either didn‟t hear or chose to ignore him.
The Doctor sighed in exasperation, ducked beneath the barrier and strolled nonchalantly towards the boat. The policeman stepped into action. He hurried forward to intercept the Doctor, his face red with exertion and anger.
„What the hell do you think you‟re doing? I could have you arrested for crossing a police line.‟
„Good afternoon,‟ said the Doctor, offering his most winning smile. „I don‟t want to cause any trouble. I‟d simply like to speak to whoever3s in charge.‟
„You would, would you? And which backstreet rag do you represent then?‟
„Oh, I‟m not a journalist. I work for UNIT. In an advisory capacity, of course. I have a pass here somewhere.‟ The Doctor rummaged frantically through his pockets, then all at once his face cleared and he grinned. He removed his panama hat to reveal a square of laminated card perched on the top of his head. He nodded and the card fell neatly into his palm.
He held it out to the policeman, his forefinger concealing the photograph of his third incarnation, then replaced it deftly in his pocket. „I understand you have something of a mystery here,‟ he said, striding towards the trawler.
„Aye, but then your friend will have told you all about that.‟
The Doctor stopped and turned so abruptly that the policeman almost walked into the back of him. „Friend?‟
„The other UNIT feller.‟
„Yes, of course. You didn‟t happen to catch his name by any chance?‟
The policeman frowned. „Aye. The DI called him... Bates, I think it was.‟
„Mike Yates?‟ supplied the Doctor.
„Aye, that‟s it. How many of you people are here then?‟
„Oh, several,‟ said the Doctor vaguely, then clapped the policeman on the arm. „Tell you what,‟ he said as if it had suddenly occurred to him to do this man a great favour, „why don‟t you tell me exactly what happened here?‟
„Your friend not fill you in then?‟ said the policeman drily.
„Different departments,‟ bluffed the Doctor. „Mike Yates is the military liaison officer, I‟m in the scientific research team.
Our paths don‟t cross all that often. Besides, I‟ve always been a great believer in getting the facts from the horse‟s mouth, so to speak.‟
The policeman raised his eyebrows, but seemed convinced enough of the Doctor‟s credentials to fill him in on the fate of the Papillon’s crew. The Doctor listened hard, then gestured towards the boat. „May I?‟
The policeman shrugged. „Be my guest. Not much to see now, though, bar a few bloodstains. All the remains were taken for forensic examination a couple of hours ago.‟
The Doctor jumped nimbly down to the deck of the trawler and hauled the first of the heavy tarpaulins aside. He spent several minutes examining the boat, alternately squatting on his haunches and jumping up to range about as if searching for something specific.
Finally he leaped back up on to the jetty. „Thank you, Constable, he said. „Most enlightening‟ He swivelled on his heels, briefly scanning the holidaymakers toing and froing on the promenade.