I banged the table with my fist and cursed loudly. A few officers looked up with raised eyebrows and disapproving looks. I bent my head down and watched the food in front of me.

For cafetiere food, it wasn't bad. Beans, chips, the free salad nobody ate... I felt so shit.

I'd let him get away. It doesn't matter we'll find him had been the replies of my colleagues but I'd let myself down. I was already really into this case. It was strange, I'd never been so interested in anything but this had captivated me for some reason.

- Alright mate? Jake surprised me, I looked up.

-Erm... yeah fine thanks.

- Oh ok. You don't look fine.

- I let him get away.

- Jesus Christ! Let it go Mike! You weren't even on duty, it might not have even been him!

- It was him. I know.

- Well you could have just seen your own reflection or something.

- Ha ha ha. NOT funny. Listen, I don't appreciate sarcasm you know.

- Right, ok, well I'm sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood.

- Sure you were Jake. Thanks. I picked up my full tray of food, and chucked it. I wasn't hungry.

***

I woke up, sick and dizzy, with a metallic taste in my mouth. Blood.

I slowly turned over in bed and on my cheek was a wet patch. Turning my head to the pillow and sitting up slightly, I opened my eyes. Blood. Blood covered the pillow.

I drew in my breath sharply and held back a scream. I brought my hand up to my face. There was blood on my nose.

A nose bleed. It had just been a nose bleed. So many things were rushing through my head, I felt so sick and so disorientated. I sat back on my heels in bed and scratched my head. This time I didn't manage to stop the scream.

How I didn't notice it just before was beyond me. Lying on the pillow next to where my head had been just moments before was another head. Jake's head. No body.

It hadn't been cut off well. The flesh was torn and hacked at, looking ripped in places. The eyes were wide open, glassy but staring at where I had been sleeping. The mouth was closed.

Who had done this? How hadn't I noticed someone come in and arrange this gruesome decapitation on my pillow?

What had I done last night? I groaned. The Red Lion. Still in business even after the break in, I had dropped in for a quick drink. ONE QUICK DRINK.

Knowing me, one quick drink had probably turned into five, into ten, into twenty. It could have gone on, I don't know... Whether the head had been here when I returned home and I hadn't noticed being so drunk, or whether it was put there after I passed out I would never know.

What to do next? Ring the police. I was the police. Ring the station Mike, the station.

- Hello North London Police Constabulary office.

- I-I have a crime to confeh- uh, report. I said shakily. The lady on the phone didn't hear the falter of my speech. I cursed myself for making such a stupid slip up. Crime to REPORT, to report.

- Would you like to come to the station?

- Uh, I think you should send some police around here, there's been a murder.

- Some one will be over shortly, can I ask for your address please sir? I gave her my address and hung up. I sat by the phone staring at the head on my bed.

I smiled, but immediately stopped. The rhyme wasn't funny. This was a serious matter. Jake's eyes stared at me accusingly. I hadn't done anything. Shut up Jake, you don't know shit.

Shut up.

I don't have anything to confess.

I don't.