by M A Comley
“Not just because of that, but it’s a start, yes. Think of all the inmates’ families involved in this. If word reaches the press... well, it doesn’t bear thinking about.”
Sally stood up and made her way to the door, her stomach churning and tying itself in knots. The last thing she wanted was to be involved in a corrupt police force. Once the press got hold of the truth, every officer at the station would be scrutinised. “I’ll leave it with you, sir,” she said from the doorway.
“You do that. I’ll be in touch when I have anything to share on the matter. Until then, discretion is the keyword.”
Sally shook her head all the way back to the incident room, ashamed at what a fellow officer was capable of and frustrated that the DCI was willing to shove this under the carpet if the few cases he studied turned out to be okay in his book.
Joanna looked up at her when Sally entered the room. “I rang the school, boss. Everything has been set up for you for tomorrow at four p.m.”
“Excellent news, thanks.” She glanced at the clock on the wall. Five fifteen. “Right, I know it’s a little early, but I’ve had enough for one day. I’m off home. Finish up what you’re doing and skedaddle, too, all right?”
Jordan gave her the thumbs-up while the rest of the team nodded. Sally collected her bag and coat from the office then headed to the car park. Jack caught up with her as she was about to open the driver’s door to her car. She raised a hand to prevent him from speaking. “Don’t start, Jack. I’ve had all I can stand for one day.”
“What’s up, Sally? This isn’t like you. You never leave work early.”
She shrugged as unexpected tears moistened her eyes. “Maybe that’s where I’ve been going wrong all these years. Maybe I should start taking the piss around here like other inspectors do, and have done, over the years.”
He leaned against the side panel of her car and folded his arms. “I take it things didn’t go too well with Green?”
“You take it right. Honestly, Jack, I really don’t think I’m cut out for this job anymore. I bust a gut daily to do things by the book, but am I the only one?”
“Don’t tar me—or the rest of the team—with the same brush as Falkirk, Sally.”
“I’m not. Don’t twist my words. I’m talking about other inspectors on the force, love. What’s the point in being a good guy? How many more corrupt officers are we going to come across?”
“I think you’re being a tad harsh. This is one case he’s screwed up. Let’s not get things out of proportion here. What did Green say about the other cases?”
“He said he was going to have a discreet look at them to see if he can spot any doubt to the sentences. I can imagine that will only take him an hour or two to complete. He isn’t going to look in depth into this, not the way we are with this case. Am I wrong to think that, Jack?”
“I hear you.” He shrugged. “What’s the alternative?”
Sally looked around the car park before she answered. “That’s just it! I haven’t got a damn clue. If he says everything shapes up perfectly, I’m going to go through the rest of my life with huge doubts reverberating around my head. Maybe I should ring Lorne, see what she makes of all this. She’s used to dealing with more crap along these lines than I am. That’s it—that’s what I’ll do. I’ll take Dex for a long walk by the river then ring my old mate. She’ll give me the guidance I need.”
“Sorry I couldn’t be more help, boss. Never come across anything like this before either on the force or in the army.”
She rubbed his upper arm. “Don’t blame yourself, Jack. It’s a tough situation, one that needs careful consideration before any action is taken. Go home, give Donna and the kids a hug from me. I’ll see you bright and early in the morning.”
“Will do. Drive safely. I’m sure everything will turn out okay.”
“I hope so, Jack. If it doesn’t, I won’t think twice about handing in my notice.”
Jack stepped away from the car, a look of shock on his face.
CHAPTER EIGHT
At home, a super-excited Dex greeted Sally, wagging his tail and screeching in a high-pitched whine. She got down on her knees to cuddle her fur baby, whom she had missed dearly. His golden hairs clung to her black suit instantly as if it were Velcro.
“Just look at the state of you now, Sally.” Her mother laughed from the end of the hallway.
“I don’t mind, Mum. I’ll just nip upstairs and get changed into my jogging suit and take him out for a long walk before dinner, if that’s all right?”
“Of course it is. Any reason why you’re home early? Everything okay down at the station?”
“Yeah, I’ll tell you about it over dinner. No need to screw your nose up. It’s not a gruesome tale—well, that’s not quite true, but I promise to leave out the bloody bits.”
“Phew, that’s a relief. Steak-and-kidney pie for dinner. It’ll be ready in an hour. Does that give you enough time to take the boy out for a long walk?”
“Perfect, thanks, Mum. You’re a treasure.” She patted Dex on the head then pecked her mum on the cheek before running up the stairs two at a time to get changed. Dex bounded up beside her. Within a couple of minutes, she was togged up in her purple jogging suit and descended the stairs again to put on her trainers. She placed her mobile phone in her pocket with Dex bouncing around at her feet, anxious for his leash to be attached. “Stand still, Jumping Bean. We’ll get out a lot faster if you do.”
They set off at a brisk pace towards the river, which was at least a ten-minute walk from the house. The evening sun warmed her face, and she sucked in a few large lungfuls of fresh, clean air along the way. Dex trotted along beside her, cocking his head now and again. All seemed well in her life until she summarised what had happened at work during the course of the day. When she reached the river bank, she unhooked Dex from his leash and let him wander freely. He never ventured very far. Sally withdrew her phone and pressed the speed dial for Lorne Warner, who answered almost immediately.
“Hello, stranger. I was going to try and find time to catch up with you this weekend. Well, have you done the deed with that handsome pathologist yet?”
“Lorne Warner, is that all you think about?”
“I wish. Most of the time I have a dozen cases roaming around in my head. Okay, that might be a slight exaggeration on my part, but you get my drift. And you haven’t answered my question.”
“Yes.”
“What? That’s amazing. Do I have to add a new wedding hat to my shopping list this weekend?”
Sally laughed. “Bloody hell, woman, give us a chance to see if we like each other or not first.”
“You obviously like each other, or you wouldn’t have done the deed. I’m so pleased for you, hon.”
“As it happens, Simon did in a roundabout kind of way invite me to move in with him this morning.”
“Bloody hell, he doesn’t hang around, does he?”
“My thoughts entirely, which is why I turned him down.”
“Damn! I hope you said it tactfully.”
“Of course I did. What do you take me for? I think he loves me as much as I love him, but...”
“But what? That’s all that matters, isn’t it? Hey, time’s passing you by swiftly, hon, if you want to start a family.”
“Whoa! Who said anything about starting a family? That’s the last thing on my mind, especially when I see the state Jack turns up in every morning after a sleepless night with his granddaughter.”
“You forget about things like that, eventually,” Lorne assured her.
“Nope, not the slightest bit interested. Simon is coming over on Sunday to meet Mum and Dad, and that should be interesting. Dad’s bound to give him a grilling.”
“They’ll get on great. Stop worrying about it.”
“This isn’t just a personal call. I’m in a bit of a dilemma and need your expert advice about something, if that’s okay?”
“All right, let me sit down a sec. Fire away.”<
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Sally sighed, her eyes constantly on her four-legged friend as she continued her walk. “Well, I’ve been given a cold case to investigate, but something has come to light that doesn’t sit comfortably with me. I just wondered how you would deal with the situation if it ever arose on your patch.”
“You’ve definitely caught my interest. Go on.”
“Well, this cold case has come up because the corpses of two criminals the investigating officer pinned a murder on suddenly got unearthed the other day. The pathologist—sorry, Simon seems to think that these two men died around the same time as the victim they were suspected of killing.”
“Okay, I’m with you so far. What’s the problem?”
“After questioning only half the people who were initially involved in the case, I’ve already flagged up several possible suspects, none of whom the SIO at the time even considered. He just presumed known burglars in the surrounding area committed the crime.”
“Bloody hell, that’s outrageous. Have you discussed the matter with the investigating officer?”
“Yeah, Jack and I went to see him this afternoon, and he more or less said that once he set his eye on a suspect, nothing swayed his decision.”
“What? What about the evidence?”
“That’s just it—there wasn’t any at the time.”
“So how was he able to pin the crimes on these two men?”
“Because of their activities as burglars. I know, I know, absolutely bizarre.”
“Too blooming right. So, what’s happened for you to think these men aren’t connected to the crime?”
“The victim had a bite mark on her arm. When Simon discovered the bodies of the burglars, the first thing he did was try to match the bite to either of the two corpses. Neither of them matched.”
“Holy crap, and this SIO didn’t bother to try and match that bite mark to anyone else at the time?”
“No. The husband is a serving police officer.”
“Bloody hell, this just gets better and better. Are you saying he also discounted the husband from his enquiries?”
“Virtually straight away. Plus the parents.”
“Why would the parents have killed her?”
“One of my team highlighted that the victim was Muslim and possibly that an honour killing might be on the cards. I’ve spoken to the mother, and she seemed innocent enough, but who can tell these days. I’ve yet to question the father.”
“Well, you’re right to think along those lines. We’ve dealt with a few similar cases over the years. Not pleasant at all, I can tell you.”
“I’m going off track a little here. I’ve also got a possible racist as a neighbour who used to verbally abuse the victim on a daily basis, according to another neighbour who tried to tell the SIO, but he was having none of it. My dilemma is that I’m wondering how many other cases the inspector has treated in this way. The cold case was his only unsolved case, by the way.”
“Hmm... that is a huge dilemma. Have you spoken to your DCI about this?”
“Yeah, fat lot of good that was. He said he’s going to peruse a couple of his cases, see if they worked out okay.”
“The only saving grace in all this is that the Crown Prosecution Service have strict guidelines to adhere to. Still, it’s not uncommon for a bent copper to plant evidence here and there in order for a charge to stick. I’m not saying that’s happened with this guy, but who knows?”
“You can see why this is such a quandary for me. Here’s the toughie: can I ask how you would handle the situation? I’m sure this kind of thing would be more likely to occur in your neck of the woods than mine usually.”
Lorne tutted. “I suppose every force in the UK comes across a bent copper now and again, but can’t say I’ve had to deal with any personally, thank goodness. If anything like this did show up on my patch, I’d pull the officer in question into the station for a strict Q&A session. Watch his reaction and go from there. Make sure everything is taped and filmed so you have something to back you up if things get nasty.”
“This guy is retired now. Could I still go after him?”
“Most definitely. The force won’t want to be forking out a pension on someone they can prove is bent.”
“Should I leave things as they are until the DCI comes back with his findings? I’ve got several other people to interview concerning the cold case, and I’m on a time limit to solve that one.”
“I would try and conclude the case and revisit the parts that don’t sit comfortably with me afterwards. That would include anything to do with this former investigating officer. Look, you know where I am if you need any advice, hon.”
“Thanks, Lorne, you’re the best pal a girl could have. No bullshit, either.”
“Likewise. Ring me, okay?”
“Enjoy your evening. Oops... Dex has wandered off. I better go and find him. Speak soon.” Sally disconnected the call and shouted, “Dex, here, boy.” There was no response. “Dex, do you want some dinner? Chicken! Sausage!” She called out, her voice sounding more panicked, and her stomach churned into knots as she mentioned the two favourite foods that always made his ears prick up.
Sally ran along the edge of the water to see if he’d fallen in. Although he was a Labrador, he rarely ventured into the water. “Jesus, Dex, where are you?” She spun around on the spot, carefully examining the area in all directions. She couldn’t see his golden coat highlighted by the evening sun anywhere. She started running, calling his name. Still nothing. Tears began to form in her eyes and trickle down her cheeks as she jogged up and down.
Another walker appeared around the bend with a beagle on his extended lead. “Please, have you seen my dog? A golden lab,” she asked breathlessly.
The middle-aged man shook his head. “Sorry, love, no. Would you like me to help you look for him?”
“That would be so kind of you. He’s never run off like this before. I was distracted making a call, and he just disappeared.”
“No problem, we’re in no rush to get home. What’s your dog’s name?”
“Dexter, but he always comes to Dex.”
“I’ll look this way,” the man said. “We’ll reconvene back here in five minutes. How’s that?”
Sally smiled and placed her hand on his arm. “I can’t thank you enough for this.”
“I’m sure you’d do the same, love.”
Sally agreed. “I would indeed.” She turned and hurried along the bank again, searching behind the small trees and shrubs close to the river bank, but found nothing. Dark thoughts entered her mind, mostly statistics of the dog-nappings that were blighting the UK. Don’t think that way. He’s here somewhere—he has to be. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and rang home. “Dad, can you come and help me look for Dex? I’m in the usual place down by the river. I’m scared, Dad. He never runs off.”
“On my way, love. I’ll bring the car. It’ll be quicker.”
Suddenly, she heard a distant noise. Unsure what it was, she tilted her head to see if she could hear it again. There—a slight whimper. “Dex... Dex, where are you? I’m here, boy. Keep talking to me. Mummy’s here, baby.” Hearing another whimper, Sally headed in its direction. She came to a large clump of shrubs, and the whimpering intensified. She pushed aside a thick shrub and gasped. Dex was lying beneath the shrubs, his four legs bound together with rope and silver duct tape wrapped around his muzzle.
Dropping to her knees next to Dex, Sally screamed out to the man who was helping her. “I’ve found him. He’s over here.”
The man set off at a gallop and doubled back to be with her. Within seconds, he was standing beside her, staring down at the whimpering Dex. “My God, who’d do such a thing?”
“I don’t know. Have you got a penknife on you?”
“Yes, attached to my keyring. Please, let me do it. Your hands are shaking too much. You might cut him.”
Sally nodded, stroking Dex’s head, trying to comfort her petrified companion with soothing words, whi
le the man cut away the rope from his legs. Dex tried to sit upright, but Sally forced him back down so the man could snip through the tape around his nose. Dex struggled and whimpered as the blade got near his face.
“It’s all right, boy. I won’t hurt you, not intentionally anyway,” the man said, trying to placate Sally’s beloved pet.
“Stay strong, boy.” Sally’s heart was racing like an express train. She found it hard to breathe.
The man sliced through the tape and ripped it off Dex’s face. Her dog yelped in pain, jumped to his feet and snarled at the man. Sally stood up and got between the man and Dex. “It’s all right, boy. The man was trying to help us.” Sally touched the bare patch of skin on the top of his nose where the glue had ripped off his fur.
“He’ll be fine. Might not trust any strangers for a while, but there’s no lasting damage done to his body anyway.”
“Sally, where are you?”
She turned to see her dad racing along the river bank towards them. “Over here, Dad. We’ve found him.”
The man reached out, looked her in the eye, and said, “Take care of Dex.”
“I will. I can’t thank you enough for what you’ve done.”
The man nodded and walked away in the opposite direction to her father. When her dad was close enough, she fell into his arms and sobbed.
“There, there, love, Dex is safe. What’s this all about?”
Sally pushed away from her father’s chest. Her hand dropped down to her side and patted Dex’s head. “It was awful, Dad. Someone bound his legs up and put tape around his mouth.” She pointed to the remnants of the items lying on the ground next to Dex.
“What? That’s crazy. Why would anyone do such a horrid thing?”
“I don’t know. That man helped me. Not sure I could have removed that tape from Dex’s mouth myself. He didn’t react very well when it was ripped off.”
“I’m not surprised—that stuff hurts. Come on, let’s get you and baldy home.”
On the ride back to the house, Sally sat in the backseat of the car and hugged Dex all the way. She was guilt-ridden for being distracted by work business instead of keeping a proper eye on him.
