Broken Angel

by Diane M Dickson

  “Good idea. Oh yeah and I got you this.” She held out a spotty plastic bag. “Well not you, Joshua.”

  “Tanya, you shouldn’t have. Bloody hell, this stuff’s not cheap. Carol’s going to be chuffed but really, you didn’t have to do that.”

  “Nah, well I was on the site and I saw them – cute little suits. I don’t know if it’ll fit, don’t know much about babies but you can always send it back.” She was blushing.

  He walked over and bent down, gave her a quick peck on the cheek. It was hard to tell but she thought he might have been blushing as well. “You’ll have to come round one weekend, meet the family, see him in his new clothes.” He had opened the bag now, pulled out the top and pants and was holding them up in front of him, grinning.

  “It’s been okay hasn’t it, Charlie? I mean you were very good, you must have been a bit brassed off, me coming in on the case, but it was okay wasn’t it?”

  He nodded, “Yeah. It was fine. Main thing is we cracked it, and we saved Jane. I need to tell you though,” he paused, swallowed. “I’m putting in for a transfer.”

  “Oh, why?”

  “Well, I think it might be best if I go somewhere else, start afresh. Carol’s up for a move, I reckon it’ll be good for her. I’ve enjoyed working with you Tanya, I wouldn’t mind doing it again sometime, but well, I need to go somewhere new.”

  She nodded and turned away, touched a finger to the corner of her eye. They could have been friends, she was sure of it. Oh well, she was better on her own. Less stress, fewer disappointments.

  * * *

  When at last she arrived home, the house was in darkness, but it was warm, and the cleaner had been – all was tidy and neat. It was like a picture in a home decorating magazine. The only sound was the click as the smart thermostat detected her presence and turned up the heat.

  There was a parcel on the table, the spotty design told her what had arrived without the need to open it. Anyway, she slit along the top with her scissors and pulled out the little blue suit. It was cute, a kitten and a puppy appliqued onto the short-sleeved top, bigger than the last thing she’d bought for Charlie’s son, something intended for Joshua to grow into. She didn’t remove it from the plastic bag. The returns label was inside, and the thing was quickly prepared for sending back. This would mean a credit on her account. She needed new jeans to replace the ones ruined on the scaffolding. With a glass of wine on the desk beside her, Tanya logged on and scrolled through the images. Maybe she’d get herself a new handbag as well, a scarf, stuff for herself. There was plenty of room yet in her new dressing room.

  The End

  List of characters

  The Team:

  Charlie Lambert – Detective Inspector

  Charlie is tall and good looking. He is married to Carol who is suffering from post-natal depression. He is looking for his first high profile case as he climbs the professional ladder.

  Robert (Bob) Scunthorpe – Detective Chief Inspector

  A decent and honourable senior officer who supports the officers under his control but is realistic about what is required of them to do the job and bring him results.

  Tanya Miller – Detective Inspector

  Early thirties. Slim and fit, vain, selfish and ambitious, always striving to prove herself. A shopaholic, she has recently returned to Oxford where she had been working in the missing persons section.

  Sue Rollinson – Detective Constable

  Young, keen, hard worker. Unmarried, from a largish family, father dead, mother an estate agent.

  Paul Harris – Detective Sergeant

  A plodder. Recently married and a bit of a bloke. Doesn’t really get the whole political correctness issue. Lives in a rental flat with his wife Nicole.

  Kate Lewis – Detective Constable

  Fifty, heading for retirement. Content with her life and achievements but refuses to be side lined due to her age and lack of professional progression.

  Dan Price – Detective Constable

  Young and insecure. Quiet and keeps his head down. Lives at home with his parents and one kid sister who is still at school.

  Simon Hewitt – medical examiner

  Tall, handsome, kind and sympathetic.

  Moira – mortuary receptionist

  Abrupt and unfriendly but tolerated by outsiders and affectionately so by the mortuary staff as she runs the place so efficiently.

  Tony Stanley – retired inspector who mentored Tanya.

  The public:

  Sarah Dickinson

  23, 5’4”, long blond hair, blue eyes. Book shop manageress.

  Steve Blakely

  26, blogger, financial advisor. 5’8”, a bit of a ponce. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Sarah’s boyfriend.

  George Simpson

  Manager of the motorway services, fussy, fat, middle aged, sweaty and officious.

  Peter Harper

  Occasional odd job man for Simpson, self-employed, gardener and house clearer.

  Millie Roberts

  Twenty years old. Slender, 5’6”, blond and pretty; we meet her with her friend Sonja. She has one brother, Carl.

  Jane Mackie

  Snarky and bad tempered, a young teen who can’t believe the shit she has to put up with.

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