Page 39 of Dead Serious Case 5 Madame Vivienne
“Where’s the rest of it?” I ask and this time it’s me frowning. “Viv was killed weeks ago. Where’re the witness statements from canvassing the area? Where’s Mr Hadley’s interview notes? Because I know that Byrnes spoke to him.”
“I get the feeling Byrnes really isn’t that bothered with this case, that he only wanted it because it was connected to you. He’s really got an issue with you, and I have no idea what it is. According to my sources, Byrnes requested I be assigned to this case with him. As the older, more experienced detective, he wasgiven the lead, which technically put him in charge even though you and I are always fifty-fifty.”
“He requested you specifically?”
Maddie nods. “Again, I figured it’s because I’m your partner and he wanted to piss you off, because it sure as hell wasn’t for my experience and skill as a detective.”
“What do you mean?”
“I don’t know whether it’s because I’m a woman or that he wants to solve the case himself and bask in the glory or whatever, but he’s trying to shut me out of the investigation every way he can despite requesting me as his partner. He’s finding the most obscure, pointless tasks for me to do that keep me in the office while he swans off to god knows where to do who knows what. He had me stapling together random reports with colour-coded staples for four hours. FOUR HOURS! He’s treating me like a fucking secretary.”
“Have you gone to the DCI?” I ask.
“Of course I did.” She shakes her head. “Like he isn’t a closet homophobe and a sexist, misogynistic prick himself. Unsurprisingly, he brushed it all off. But there’s something about Byrnes that’s just… off. I mean, apart from his ability to piss me off just by breathing. I asked around a bit and called up some of the guys Byrnes used to work with. To get a better read on him, you know?”
“And?”
“And this is where it gets a bit weird.” She picks her bottle back up and takes a swig. “Everyone I spoke to, including the female officers, said he was a great guy. Fell over themselves to say how much they missed him and how lucky we were to have him transfer to our department. They said he was funny and polite, clever, really fair, had a deep sense of right and wrong, a strict morale code. I mean, I could keep going on and on—they certainly did. They all said the same things, all completelyin agreement. Patrick Byrnes is a good guy and a great detective. Never a bad word to say about anyone, always the first person to help out.”
“Are you sure you were definitely talking about the same person? Because that doesn’t sound like the detective that dropped into our laps. He’s more prickly than a cactus. He’s egotistical, selfish, narcissistic, elitist…”
“You say all that like I’m not the one who’s been stuck with him for the past several weeks,” she says sarcastically, “but please do go on.”
“It doesn’t make any sense. How can one person change that much?” I scratch my jaw and stare down at my beer. “Either they’re all lying because they’re pleased to see the back of him, or there’s something shady going on.”
“You’re not kidding.” Maddie takes a deep swig of her beer and slams the bottle down on the desk beside her decisively. “I want in.”
“What?”
“Whatever you’re cooking up, I want in,” she says with a firm nod. “Sign me up.”
“I’m not–”
“I know you, Danny. Viv was your friend, she lived in your flat for weeks for god’s sake. There’s no way you’d sit back and let a dick like Byrnes botch her case. My guess is you and Sam are already running your own investigation. And I want in. Not only because it will fuck Byrnes off, but because I liked Viv. I only met her on a few occasions, and she was twenty shades of bonkers and soaked in premium gin ninety percent of the time, but she was good people. She deserves justice and whoever the sick fuck was that did that to her needs to pay.”
I sigh. “If they find out we’re going off the books, you’ll get in trouble.”
“We,” she corrects. “We’ll get in trouble. You think it’s okay for you to take risks and not me? Not to go all Jack and Rose on you, because I thoughtTitanicwas dumb—there was totally enough room on that door, plus we’re both as gay as sparkly rainbows and unicorns. But you jump, I jump. Partners, remember?”
My mouth twitches and I fight the urge to smile because even though she’s right and we are both one hundred percent gay, nothing about either of us says sparkly rainbows and unicorns.
“It could mean disciplinary action.”
“Good. I’ve always wanted to be a rebel.” She grins. “But I see this as the lesser of two evils. A sanction and a note on my record for misusing police resources and conducting an off-the-books investigation without clearance or being arrested for murder because I’ve snapped and clubbed Byrnes to death with the office stapler. I know which my pick would be.”
“I just want you to know I would totally bake you a cake with a nail file in it,” I say seriously.
“That is the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me, Danny.” She nods, her tone equally as serious. “And I just want you to know I’d do the same for you.”
“Well then, Rose.” I grin. “Hey, you’ve got the same hair colour as her.”
“And you look like DiCaprio.” Maddie snorts. “Yuck, we really are Jack and Rose, minus the dumb-arse doomed love story. Let’s hope we’re not about to go down on a sinking ship.”
“Look on the bright side. If we both get fired, I hear they’re recruiting for retail security at the Westside.”
She flips me the finger, her expression dry.
“Tell me what you know about Viv’s case so far.” I sip my beer.