'Dogging? I thought that was men watching other couples have sex in their cars?'
'It was originally, but it's more part of the swinging scene nowadays. All sorts are at it. Log on and I'll show you.'
Jon typed in his password and moved his chair to one side, allowing Rick access to his computer. He went on to the internet, then typed 'Swinger's Haven' into the search field.
A home page came up with a paragraph of writing in the middle. To the side was a panel of boxes. Jon leaned forwards to read them.
Real Wife Swaps. Swingers Cafe´. Chat Room. Forum. Dogging Sites. Personal Pages. Sexual Health. Terminology. Contact Us.
'Who runs this site?' Jon asked, reaching for his coffee.
'God knows. I heard about it a while ago. I've never actually visited though.' He clicked on 'Dogging Sites' and an inner screen came up with a map of Britain inside.
'Here we go,' murmured Rick, clicking on the Manchester area. A new screen appeared listing locations in the area. Rick scrolled down the screen, stopping at a panel titled 'Middleton'.
Jon scanned the text. 'The car park at the bottom of Silburn Grove is good for dogging action most evenings after nine. Especially popular with gay men.' He shook his head as Rick went back to the home page and clicked on 'Forum'. He then selected 'North West'.
General discussion, news and chat for swingers and doggers in the North West. Please don't post anything here about specific meet ups, use the chat room for that.
Rick clicked on the link and a grid format page came up with an entry in each left hand box.
Are you a newbie needing help?
Photos from Mark and Jo's Munch Party
In a quandary and need advice? My new boobies!
Rick started moving down to the lower entries before Jon had even read the first. 'Hold up. I don't understand all this.'
Rick glanced at him. 'It's just a standard internet forum. You've never used one before?'
'No.'
'OK look, the discussion topic is here.' Rick pointed to the uppermost left hand box. ' “Are you a newbie needing help?” ' He ran his finger over the adjacent boxes. 'The author was TopCat, there've been 9,532 viewings and 376 replies. Last one was posted today at three-o-four p.m. by Fair Maid.'
Jon looked at his watch. 'That was six minutes ago.'
Rick nodded. 'People are logged on all the time. See?' He pointed to a line of text at the base of the screen. 'In total there are seventy-two users online, twenty-nine visible, eleven hidden and thirty-two guests.'
'And these are all people in the north west?'
'Not necessarily. But if you've entered this region's chat room, you're probably local. We are one of thirty-two guests. If we want to add a topic, we'll have to register with the site and become a member.'
'Add a topic?'
Rick sighed. 'This cyberspace stuff confusing you, Jon? Think of it like the notice board in your rugby club. Only this is a club for people who like to have sex in car parks. We can pin up a piece of paper asking if anyone's got information about what happened in Silburn Grove.'
Jon bounced the heel of his palm off his forehead. 'Sorry mate, I'll try and get with it.'
'Right, it's your computer, so you should register.'
Jon's eyes shifted uneasily to the other officers in the room. 'I don't want my bloody details on there!' he hissed.
Rick's eyes were on the screen and a smile was breaking out on his face. 'I think you may feature already. Look at that entry. Policeman at Silburn Grove. It was posted last Friday at nine forty-eight p.m.'
'Shit. What does it say?'
'Let's see,' Rick clicked on the box to open up a fresh page. Beware. In the light of the assault in the car park on Silburn Grove yesterday, the police have taken quite an interest. I drove there just now, only to have this copper approach my car asking for info. While he'sthere I suggest using the car park at Daisy Nook, it's a lot more secluded anyway. PubDog.
I saw him too! Big bastard with a crew cut? I was getting my hopes up until he flashed his badge!!! Tall'n'Hairy.
I know what you mean. I was hoping he was about to give me a flash of something else. PubDog.
The car park at Daisy Nook it is then. I'll be there 2nite at 10, if
anyone wants some action. SXi.
See you there, Angel-from-heaven. Likewise. Mr P.
Jon knew his face was bright red. At least the one with his cock out hadn't posted anything up. He took a hesitant sip of coffee, waiting for his blush to subside.
Failing miserably to suppress the grin on his face, Rick said,
'Looks like you made quite an impression.'
'Ha fucking ha,' Jon replied, still unable to look directly at his colleague.
'Word travels fast on the internet.'
'Too right. There wasn't a single car turning up there by
Saturday night. Now I bloody well know why.'
Rick clicked back a screen. 'There may have only been four replies, but eighty-two people have viewed that topic. I reckon we should add an appeal for help.'
Jon shifted in his seat. 'Can you do it? I feel like a right pillock having sat there scaring everyone off. Maybe you could say you're a colleague on the case.'
Rick's fingers hovered over the mouse. 'OK. Let's do it then.'
He clicked on register, accepted the site's agreement terms and went through to an on screen form. 'We need a username. How about Big Jon?'
Jon shook his head. 'No way. Let's go for Slick Rick.'
His colleague grinned. 'Maybe we'd better keep it straight.' He typed in DS Saville. After entering a password and his email address, Rick completed the rest of the form, then clicked on submit.
A screen popped up telling him confirmation had been sent to his email address. Rick closed down the screen, logged into his email account, clicked on the confirmation number waiting there, following the link back to the web site and entered the number in. 'OK, we're a new member. What do you want to say?'
At five-thirty on the dot Jon turned his computer off and headed for the door. As he crossed the room he could feel a few of the other detectives watching him enviously. None looked like they were getting home early.
He was nearly at the door when he heard a voice behind him.
'That officer in earlier. Was he going on about gay sex?'
Jon turned around. The detective who'd spoken was leaning back in his chair, gut straining against the buttons of his shirt. Several other men were looking over with smirks on their faces.
'What if he was?' Jon answered.
'What is he then? Some sort of shirt lifter himself?' He glanced at his mates, finding approval in their eyes.
Jon felt a surge of anger. The bunch of cowardly pricks had suddenly found the courage to start on Rick. He stepped closer to the officer. 'Why, you've got a problem with that, you fat fuck?'
He kept eye contact until the other man looked away. 'No, I didn't think so.' He walked out of the room.
A short while later he pushed his front door open. A delicious aroma greeted him as he stepped inside. Voices in the front room. Alice's and his mother's. Punch looked tentatively round the corner then gave a snort of delight and bounded towards him. Jon crouched down and reached both hands round his dog's head to rub behind its ears. Then he straightened up and walked into the front room. Alice was on the sofa with Holly at her breast, folds of a baggy purple jumper half covering the feeding baby.
He looked across to his mum who was perched on the edge of an armchair. 'I've been waiting to cuddle her for twenty minutes. Even you never fed this long.'
He smiled at the sight of her. She measured five-foot-two at the most and people always had trouble accepting that she had produced someone of Jon's size. Despite being in her mid- sixties, she was sprightly and trim with bright eyes and surprisingly smooth skin. Only her hair belied her years; the white strands that had started appearing a few years ago were now gathering in number, creating a silver sheen over the russet tones below.