Page 59 of The Other Side

“Put 141 in front of the number I’m going to give you. Then ping me your location. And never tell anyone what I just said.”

“See you soon.”

Drum sighed. Now all he had to do was wait. He hoped it worked. Standing here was pointless. He had details of all the people who’d passed and the time. As soon as he’d been called to act on the suspicious person by Control, he’d press send on his report and leave.

He had a mild panic that someone might consider the report of a suspicious person within a mile or so of a murder something that needed more than a PCSO’s presence. He’d not thought that through. If he didn’t have a call in the next— He had the call. Thank fuck.

A few minutes later, Drum was on his way to investigate suspicious activity that he’d instigated. He’d sent the report to Purbeck and added that he’d left the house on Control’s orders. So stuff you!

Drum found Osian sitting in the woods next to a small river.

“Hello, extremely suspicious-looking person,” Drum said with a smile.

“Oh no, you caught me.”

Drum laughed and dropped down at Osian’s side. “I just need to report in, so shush.” He pressed his talk button. “India-Sierra-four-six to Control. Over.”

“This is Control, India-Sierra-four-six. Receiving you five-by-five, over.”

“India-Sierra-four-six. State Six. Male is skinny dipping in the river. No intent to cause alarm or distress. No one around. No danger to swimmer. Logged as non-crime, non-ASB matter. Over.”

“Understood, India-Sierra-four-six. Out.”

Drum tapped into his log. “I’ll just be a minute while I send details… Attended location. Located gorgeous male swimming naked in the river. He stole my breath. Male was cooperative and engaging in simple naturism with no sexual intent—well not until I arrived. No distress or alarm caused. Yet. Appropriate water safety advice given. Don’t drown. No offences disclosed. Apart from the breath-stealing. Log closed. And… I’m ending my shift in fifteen minutes.”

“That’s it?” Osian asked, laughing.

“What more do you want? It’s not a novel.”

“Sounds like it could be a saucy one.”

Drum turned to see Osian had taken off his T-shirt and was folding it into a neat square. His boots were already lined up and he put the T-shirt on top. His socks followed. Then his trousers. Finally, without the slightest hesitation, he peeled off his underwear, folded that too and placed his boxers on the tidy little pile. Osian stood there completely naked, stretching his arms and shoulders as if preparing for a dive off the high board into an Olympic pool.

Drum blinked. “What are you doing?”

Osian looked at him as though the answer should have been painfully obvious. Of course, it was. “Going swimming.”

“I can see that.”

“You just established there’s nothing wrong with it, especially if the person doing it is a gorgeous male who’s not going to drown.”

“There isn’t.” There was a croak in Drum’s voice.

“So…”

“So that doesn’t automatically mean you need to get naked.”

Osian frowned. “I thought that was rather implied.”

“It wasn’t implied.”

“You said no laws were being broken.”

“Correct.”

“You advised about water safety. Though I didn’t hear you say anything about underwater obstacles or giant squid.”

Drum smiled. “Look out for underwater obstacles and giant squid.”