Page 35 of Dying Truth

‘What’s that, boss?’

‘Your refusal to listen to my instruction regarding press appeals. I’m looking for the appropriate box.’

He raised his eyes to the ceiling. ‘It was one time, boss, and I learned from it.’

Oh yes, he’d learned from it all right. When he’d watched the rest of the team, herself included, stay late into the night ringing back every pointless lead they’d received after she’d told him that was exactly what she knew would happen.

‘You took the bullet on that one, eh, boss?’ he acknowledged.

Yes, she had told Woody that it was her that had made the press appeal instead of letting on that Dawson had been tricked by a junior reporter. Which she was sure would come up in her next appraisal. Woody hadn’t bought it for a minute.

‘Which brings us on to areas of improvement,’ she said. ‘And I see you’ve left that box blank.’

‘I think I’m doing good, boss,’ he said, refusing to give an inch.

Kim opened her hands expressively. ‘Well, how about we swap seats then and you—’

‘I ain’t doing that good,’ he said, fighting a smile.

‘Damn right,’ she agreed and then thought for a moment. ‘Rash, Kev,’ she said, honestly. ‘Not the skin kind but the acting sometimes without full consideration for the consequences kind.’

He narrowed his eyes. ‘Boss, I’m not sure I’d agree…’

‘And bloody argumentative,’ she said, pretending to write it down. ‘The second doesn’t bother me so much. Your umm… challenging nature while intensely annoying, irritating and frustrating does give me pause for thought, now and again. However, your impetuousness will ultimately get you into trouble.’

He thought for a second and then nodded. ‘But the thing is, I have this boss who—’

‘Isn’t being appraised right now,’ she interrupted, making a note in the empty box. ‘Curb it, before someone gets hurt.’

He opened his mouth against her expression which actively discouraged a debate on the subject.

‘Got it, boss.’

She read the entry in the last box on the form marked ‘Future Goals’.

‘Really?’ she asked.

He took a breath. ‘I think I’m ready for that next step, boss. I’m not on probation,’ he said and then glanced at the appraisal form. ‘I think I’ve demonstrated competence. I have no live warnings or improvement notices and…’

‘You trying to convince me, Kev?’

Kim knew that any requested registration form would result in a line manager endorsement form being forwarded to her.

‘I’ve got a family, boss. I wanna provide for Alison, give Charlotte a decent education, you know, give them both a good life.’

Kim understood but it was not a fast or easy process. He would need to sit a legal knowledge exam, be assessed against rank-specific competencies and endure a temporary promotion and work-based assessment before he could even sniff the permanent promotion.

‘And, to be honest your opinion means as much to me as—’

‘It won’t be me making the final decision on—’

‘I know, but I’d like to know what you think,’ he said, honestly as a polite tapping sounded on the already opening door.

‘It’s coming on, guv,’ Bryant said from the doorway.

She nodded in his direction and stood.

‘Boss?’ Dawson said, waiting for an answer to his question. Did she think he was ready?