by M A Comley
“My motto is to take the bull by the horns. You need to make adjustments quickly in this game, Charlie.”
“You mean either sink or swim, don’t you?”
“Maybe.” He laughed and patted her on the knee. “Sorry, I got carried away, I shouldn’t have touched you. I’ll be there to back you up. Are you up for it?”
“Do I have a choice?”
“Nope.”
Her heart rate escalated at the thought of sitting in front of a swarm of probing journalists. Crap! How the hell am I going to handle this? I’ve been through worse in my life and come out the other end, kind of unscathed-ish. I’ve got this, it’ll be a cinch compared to dealing with the Unicorn and what he put me through in my teens.
Charlie managed to arrange a press conference for later that afternoon. Her nerves jangled throughout the day, but as soon as she entered the designated conference room, an unexplained calmness descended. Maybe the call she’d made to her mother ten minutes before had forced the change.
Lorne had told her how proud she was of her and insisted she go in there determined and full of confidence. If the journalists picked up on any hesitation on her part, they’d pounce and rip her to shreds. Two minutes before the ‘kick off’, DCI Roberts joined her at the table.
“How are you feeling?”
“Like you’re throwing me to a pack of crazed wolves,” she lied.
He chuckled. “I can tell when you’re lying, Charlie.”
“You can? I’m fine. I rang Mum, and she gave me a few pointers which helped me deal with my anxiety.”
“Let’s face it, you’ve been through far worse in the past.”
“That’s what she said. I know you’re continually testing me. I hope I don’t dry up and let you down.”
“You could never let me down. Give me a nudge under the table if one of them asks a question you find too difficult to answer.”
“I will, thank you.”
“Let the show begin.” He turned his attention to the crowd and asked them to settle down. “I’d like to introduce a new detective to you all, DC Charlie Simpkins. Unfortunately, her partner, DI Foster, is taking time off with family issues at present. DC Simpkins has been working alongside me in the interim. She’ll run through why we’ve called this conference today. Be gentle with her.”
Charlie smiled at Sean and cleared her throat. She professionally explained the details of the case, mentioning the four murders known to them and offered up a grainy picture they’d downloaded from the CCTV at Zedex. “This is James Boyd. He’s a person of interest in the murders.”
“You mean he’s a main suspect, DC Simpkins? Any relation to former DI Lorne Simpkins by any chance?” one of the older journalists asked.
Charlie smiled at him and did her best to battle the heat rising in her cheeks. “I am. She’s my mother and she taught me well.”
The journalist nodded.
Roberts jumped in. “We’re trying to find James Boyd and we’re calling on the public to lend us a hand. Do you know him? Have you seen Boyd in the last forty-eight hours? Has he just moved to your area? Anything and everything you can tell us about this man will help at this stage.”
“Why do you suspect his involvement in the investigation?” a female journalist asked.
Roberts took over again. “Primarily because he was a former employee at Zedex.”
“So he’s been bumping off his ex-colleagues? Do you know why?”
“His motive is unknown at present. We believe it’s possibly to do with a recent promotion at Zedex. He has since left the firm and started up his own business in the same vein. We’re eager to speak with him, if only to eliminate him from our enquiries.”
“Really? To only eliminate him, not to haul him in and interrogate him about the murders?” one of the younger male journalists asked with all the eagerness of a ten-week-old puppy.
“No, our initial contact would be to have a chat with Mr Boyd, so, I repeat, if anyone either knows where he’s staying at the moment, or if they’ve seen him walking in their neighbourhood, I’d like you to call the number on the bottom of your screen.” Roberts ended the conference. Luckily, the journalists didn’t feel the need to prolong Charlie’s angst, either that or they were keen to get back to work and write up their pieces for the next day’s newspapers.
“How do you feel now that’s out of the way?” Roberts asked as they made their way back upstairs.
“Relieved. It actually went better than expected.”
“I’d like to add that you’re a natural in front of the camera. I know a certain person who is going to be exceptionally proud of your capabilities when she sees it.”
Charlie glanced at him shyly. “I know it was your intention to throw me in at the deep end, maybe that’s the way everyone should learn.”
“I’ve always believed it to be the only way to learn. I’m not one for mollycoddling people, especially those with exceptional abilities to start with.”
She placed a hand on her chest. “Moi?”
“Of course. I have every faith in you, Charlie, and I foresee you sitting behind my desk one day and going one step better than your mother.” He shrugged. “Maybe even higher up the ladder than that. You’ve got your head screwed on and you were brought up by one of the best police officers ever to have worked for the Met. Those kinds of credentials have to count for something, right?”
“I hope I don’t let you down. I never dreamed of being a copper, not from a young age. I suppose I was too rebellious until…well, you know what. After that, my outlook on life dramatically altered. Don’t forget I had two generations of Met coppers at home. Granddad loved his time on the force and always regaled me with accounts on some of the major investigations he had under his belt.” She fell quiet. Although she thought about her grandfather often, she didn’t openly speak about him.
Roberts smiled. “Sam was an excellent copper. You come from the best stock around, Charlie, remember that when you’re sitting at your desk doubting your ability during an investigation. I believe in you as a person, otherwise I wouldn’t have invited you to join the team. Promise me one thing.”
Charlie paused midway up the stairs. “What’s that, sir?”
“You’ll seek my help if ever you need it. If you don’t, and your mother finds out that I haven’t noticed you’re struggling, she’ll chop my testicles off and feed them to those damn dogs of hers.”
Charlie laughed. “You’re probably right.”
“Okay, let’s see what the team has to offer. Hopefully the phones will start ringing around mid-afternoon once the conference goes out. We’d better prepare ourselves for a late one. I wonder how Katy is getting on at the hospital.”
“I thought about calling her but the last thing I want to do is cause her more anxiety.”
“Yep, it’s a tough one. Let’s see what today brings, and maybe I’ll be able to call her later with the good news that we’ve captured Boyd.”
“Maybe. Do you think that’s likely, sir?”
“You never know your luck.”
They entered the incident room, and Graham immediately motioned for them to join him.
“I’ve been searching the ANPRs for the stolen cars and stumbled across this one, sir.”
Charlie and Sean leaned in to the screen to get a closer look at the driver.
“I think that’s him,” Charlie confirmed. She opened the file she’d taken to the conference with her and held up the image they had of Boyd.
All three of them agreed.
“This is good news,” Roberts insisted.
“Yeah, all we have to do now is find the car,” Charlie replied, sensing they had a major task on their hands.
“Another thought struck me while you were both at the conference,” Graham said.
“Go on,” Roberts urged.
“What about the other two, the only two colleagues left at Zedex? Do you think we should keep them under surveillance or some form of protection?”
Charlie nodded. “It has to be done. He could strike at any moment. Do we know if the two men are still at work?”
“Do you want me to call them?” Karen volunteered.
Roberts spun around to look at her. “Yes, do it.”
Karen picked up the phone and dialled the number. She spoke to someone who answered and nodded. “Okay, we’ll get back to you soon.” She ended the call and told them, “Yes, they’re both there. Totally shaken up by what’s happened to Andrea today. Unsure what to do, whether they should stay at work or go home.”
“Understandable, any suggestions?” Roberts asked.
“It would be better to keep them in one place. Maybe we could send a couple of uniformed officers over there, make sure no one enters the building who could put them in jeopardy,” Charlie suggested.
“I think you’re right. Can you arrange that with the desk sergeant, Charlie?”
“On it now.” Charlie raced over to her desk and contacted Mick who promised to send two men out to Zedex immediately.
Roberts seemed thoughtful upon her return.
“Everything all right, sir?” she asked.
“Yes, sort of. Recalling what Maria said about when she’d placed the call. I need to look into that, make sure we’re not dealing with anything more sinister than we first thought.”
Charlie gasped. “Someone on the inside?”
“Why not? We’re talking guns again. You know what happened regarding another recent case where a gun was used. I need to get on to Patti or Forensics to see what they’ve come up with, if anything.”
“God, I hope you’re wrong.”
“So do I. I’ll be right back.” He headed into Katy’s office. “A coffee would be most welcome,” he threw over his shoulder on the way.
“Coming right up.”
He disappeared into the office and closed the door.
“Shit! He never bloody puts his hand in his pocket. I’m going to be broke by the end of the ruddy week at this rate.”
Graham dug into his pocket and slapped a handful of change onto the desk. “There you go, it shouldn’t always fall on your shoulders, Charlie.”
Charlie pinched his cheek. “You’re a gent.” She slotted the coins into the vending machine and took the coffee in to Roberts. One look at his face, and she could tell he was livid. Charlie tried to retreat, but he gestured for her to take a seat. She sat there for the next five minutes squirming on behalf of the person receiving a bollocking on the other end of the line.
Roberts hung up and sat back. He blew out an exasperated breath. “What the fuck! I’ve heard some trivial excuses in my time on the force, but that has to be right up there with the worst of them. Why can’t every new recruit be as enthusiastic about their role as you are? To some of them it would seem that getting a monthly salary for sitting behind a damn desk all day is the answer to their problems.”
“I’m sure that’s not true, although it might appear to be the case, sir.”
“Well, she’s got an official warning coming her way. I refuse to put up with that sort of tardiness, not on my watch.”
“Sorry it happened, sir.”
“So am I. Thanks for the drink. I feel a lot calmer now than I did a few minutes ago. My one bugbear doing this job is dealing with ineptness. There’s no bloody need for it, is there? We’re talking about supposedly intelligent people here, aren’t we? What’s your opinion on the new crop of recruits we’ve been laden with this year?”
“Gosh, I’d rather you didn’t put me on the spot like that, sir.”
“May I ask why?”
Why? Because you’re asking me to spy or tell tales on my fellow officers. How do you think that’s going to make me look? She couldn’t help feeling torn. Damned if she answered him truthfully and damned if she let things ride. “I didn’t see any problems during my training assignments, sir.”
He narrowed his eyes and tilted his head. “You wouldn’t be trying to pull a fast one on me, Simpkins, would you?”
“No, sir. It was a genuine answer. You know me, I prefer to keep to myself, knuckle down and get the job done.” She hoped her answer would appease him. If not, she didn’t know which way she should turn next.
“Okay, whilst I admire your loyalty, I would hope that if you saw anything not quite right in the system, you would let me know.”
“That goes without saying, sir. I promise you.” Charlie’s phone rang. Embarrassed, she glanced at the caller ID, willing it not to be Brandon. It wasn’t, it was Katy. “Can I take this, it’s Katy?”
“Stay there, put it on speaker, if you would?”
And what if Katy didn’t appreciate me doing that?
“Hi, Katy, you’re on speaker. I’m with DCI Roberts.”
“Oh, of course. I’m sorry, have I called at an inappropriate time?”
“Not at all, Katy. How’s Georgie?” Roberts jumped in.
“The signs are good. They’ve said they’ll be keeping her in for the next week or so. Before you say it, AJ and I have spoken about this, and we’ve agreed that I should return to work tomorrow.”
“Are you sure?” Charlie asked. Putting herself in Katy’s position, she’d want to remain at the hospital with her child until the danger had passed at least.
“I echo what Charlie just said. We’re fine at this end, don’t go rushing back if things are still fraught at the hospital.”
“I’m getting the impression that I’m not wanted there.” Katy sounded subdued.
“Don’t be silly,” Charlie was quick to add. “All we’re saying is take care of Georgie’s needs first.”
“I know you both care, but I think it’s for the best. AJ is fed up with having me under his feet, or he will be by the end of the day. The medical staff are keeping her sedated for now, allowing her body to heal itself without putting extra strain on her heart. It seems to be working. The rash is still prominent in some areas but has vanished in others. The nursing staff told me it varies from patient to patient. Here’s hoping she’s over the worst of it.”
“Sounds good, a steady progress anyway.” Relief flooded through Charlie.
“So, don’t keep me in suspense, what’s going on there?”
“Nothing much.” Charlie tried to keep the investigation advancement to a minimum on purpose, but Roberts had other ideas and opened his big mouth.
“Charlie held a press conference.”
“Wow, go you, Charlie. How did it go?”
“It went exceedingly well,” Roberts added before Charlie had a chance to answer for herself.
“We’re just waiting on the results from that. I was a tad nervous but not as bad as I thought I was going to be,” Charlie said after clearing her throat.
“Great news. You can take over doing them once you become DS, I hate the damn things. Talking of which, that’s another reason I’ll be coming back to work tomorrow, so you can toodle off to your exam.”
“Hey, don’t leave your sick child on my account. I can easily postpone it for a few weeks.”
“Phooey! You’re going, end of.”
“You’re a star, Katy. Hopefully, if I get through the exam I’ll be even more of an asset to the team.” She glanced up, and Roberts shook his head. She frowned and mouthed, “What?”
“Are you going to say it, Sean, or do I need to?” Katy said.
“My take is, that young Simpkins here is fishing for compliments.”
They all laughed.
“No seriously,” Charlie chimed in. “I truly mean it. I never want to be a burden, so you must tell me if I ever become one.”
“Blah, blah, blah…what a lot of nonsense you speak, young lady,” Katy admonished good-naturedly.
“Umm…joking aside, we have news for you.” Charlie cringed when Roberts shook his head.
“Oh, what’s that?”
“There’s been another murder. It took place in the Zedex underground car park,” Charlie said.
“Oh bugger. Who?”
Charlie sighed. “Andrea Gregory.”
“Fuck,” Katy muttered. “What about the other two colleagues?”
“We’ve got that sorted, don’t worry. Just concentrate on looking after Georgie for now,” Roberts said.
“All right. You’ve clearly got everything under control there, I’ll leave you to it. No, wait, any sightings on Boyd yet?”
“Not yet, except we think we spotted him driving one of the stolen vehicles we highlighted yesterday. Graham is tracking the vehicle on the ANPR cameras now.”
“That is good news. Keep a close eye on him, he’s likely to dump the car again. Get the desk sergeant to make sure his staff are out there searching for it and any possible dumpings in the meantime.”
“Go. It’s in hand, we promise. Thanks for keeping us updated, Katy. Love to AJ,” Charlie said.
“Good luck tomorrow in the exam, Charlie. Fingers and toes crossed for you, not that you’ll need it.”
“I appreciate it. Speak soon.” Charlie ended the call.
“Good news. Let’s hope we can keep the momentum going and receive the news we want from the appeal when it goes out.”
Charlie rose from her seat. “I’ll get back and share the good news with the team, sir, leave you to get on with your paperwork.”
“Be sure to give me a shout if anything interesting crops up. I can drop all of this in an instant.”
Charlie left the room. “Katy’s just rung. Looks like Georgie is on the mend, although it’s very early days yet. She’ll be back at work tomorrow. I tried to persuade her otherwise, but she’s adamant she wants to get back. Also, she’s aware I won’t be here tomorrow because of the dreaded exam I have to attend.”
“You’ll be fine,” Patrick called out.
The others added their encouragement, too, which lifted her.
“You guys are the best. I wish I had your faith. How’s it going, Graham?”
“I followed the car through to Whitechapel and then lost it.”
Charlie’s high came crashing down. “Damn. All we can hope now is that a member of the public living in that area calls in and gives us a possible address.”
The team’s frustrations mounted during the course of the day because the phones remained silent until gone five-thirty when Charlie took an interesting call from a resident around the Whitechapel area. It was too much of a coincidence to ignore the call, given what Graham had spotted on the cameras earlier that day.