Page 4 of First Blood

‘Fair enough,’ Kim said, unsure if he was playing with her. It was the shortest, most direct welcome speech she’d had yet.

‘It’ll be a small team to start but you’ll have two DSs and a DC. Needless to say there’ll be other resources available but today I’d like you to focus on getting to know your colleagues, their strengths and weaknesses and then I’ll move some cases around to give you something to get your teeth into.’

A whole day getting to know folks she wouldn’t work with for very long? She’d worked in her last team for four months and still didn’t know everyone’s name.

Seemed like a waste of a day to her.

‘Sir, to be honest, I’d rather just get stuck in to…’

‘I’m sure you would, Stone, and I’d rather we just did it my way.’

She nodded her agreement while thinking that once she and the team had introduced themselves she’d put the feelers out with Despatch for any active cases.

‘Any clues on who or what I’m getting?’ she asked, standing.

He shook his head. ‘I’ll leave you to sort that out yourself. The CID office is on the second floor next to the general admin office. I suggest you head there and await the arrival of your team.’

Chapter Two

DCI Woodward let out a breath as the door closed behind her.

She hadn’t recognised him and he hadn’t realistically expected her to. It had been a long time since their last meeting. But he’d remembered every second of it.

He’d heard much about the detective inspector from all of his fellow DCIs. He hadn’t bothered to mention to her the two condolence cards he’d received that were in his drawer.

He’d been fully briefed about her bloody-mindedness, her lack of social skills, her inability to work well with others. He’d heard about the complaints that had been received about her manner. He knew there were times when she broke the rules without breaking the law but sailing close to the line.

He had read her personnel file cover to cover. Followed her journey since their meeting all those years ago. He’d read about every slap on the wrist, just as he’d read about every case she’d worked and her impeccable success rate.

He also had a rough idea about what had happened between her and Samuel Worthington. He knew the man. He’d trained with him years ago and had felt back then that he was a sexist, chauvinistic oaf with little room for improvement. How he’d survived in the changing diverse landscape of the police, he was unsure although even he knew that the political correctness training and directives were white noise to some officers. Something had occurred between them and yet she’d chosen to keep it to herself. He felt the seed of respect being sewn somewhere in his mind.

He thought again about the sympathy cards in his drawer from her former bosses who felt he’d been lumbered with the force’s problem child, when that hadn’t been the case at all. He had actually requested that the unmanageable, rule-bending, taciturn officer be allowed to join his team.

And for better or for worse that’s what he’d got.

Chapter Three

DS Bryant checked his reflection in the mirror. His customary dark suit and light blue tie with white shirt looked back at him.

Only yesterday his wife, Jenny, had said that he was starting to remind her of Bradley Walsh, the guy who presented that Chaser programme or something.

He’d started to argue with her until she’d told him with a wink that she quite fancied Bradley Walsh. He hadn’t been sure how to take that until she’d convinced him that she only had eyes for him. And after almost a quarter century together, he’d take that.

He removed the tie. The damn thing was refusing to knot properly.

‘It was fine,’ Jenny said, startling him. He hadn’t realised she was awake but she was sitting up in bed, her knees bent, watching him.

‘And it was also fine the three times before. What’s wrong?’

‘Ah, just new boss, that’s all,’ he said, snaking the tie beneath his collar again.

‘You met her before?’ Jenny asked.

He shook his head.

‘It’s not because she’s a…’

He turned away from the mirror before she’d even finished the sentence and offered her a look. ‘You really have to ask that?’