Page 56 of First Blood

She started up the car. No, you couldn’t win them all but you could certainly try.

Chapter Forty-Eight

‘Okay, folks, we’re not getting the Lester Jackson case from Warwickshire. DCI Wood… Woody has made that perfectly clear,’ she said, walking back into the squad room.

‘But—’

Kim cut Dawson off by raising her hand. ‘There isn’t a but you can come up with that I haven’t already tried and it’s not happening. He’s encouraging us to be creative on that score, which we’ll think about tomorrow, but for now let’s just recap before we call it a day.’

Her gaze remained on Dawson signalling for him to go first, as she reached for the mug of coffee that had magically appeared on the spare desk.

‘Still trying to find this woman and child who lived with Luke Fenton. I have a first name and a vague description, but that’s about it.’

‘And the nail?’ Kim said, referring to it for the first time.

‘My source didn’t come good on that one, boss, but I’m still working on it.’

She folded her arms and waited.

Everyone waited and he at least had the good grace to look mildly uncomfortable.

‘Nothing from his workplace, either,’ he added and she was unsure if he was trying to fill the silence or fill his day. The morgue visit had taken no more than an hour from his schedule.

There was nothing further to report.

‘Okay, moving on, Stacey?’

‘Got the phone records in for our victim and was just about to start.’

‘Okay, get on with those first thing tomorrow and liaise with the lab about the computer to see if there’s anything else there.’

‘Will do, boss,’ she answered.

‘And great work on finding the Lester Jackson case.’

‘Thanks, boss.’

Kim saw the shadow that passed over Dawson’s face and she didn’t mind it one little bit.

‘Okay, folks, that’s enough for tonight. Briefing in the morning at seven.’

Stacey and Bryant reached for their belongings, and Dawson glanced her way.

She shook her head and he remained where he was.

* * *

She waited until the others had left the room before meeting his gaze.

‘I think we need to have a little chat.’

‘I know it doesn’t look like I’ve done much but…’

‘Yeah. It’s not that kind of chat. It’s the type where you listen and I talk.’

He closed his mouth.

‘I don’t know what kind of team you’ve come from and I don’t care. There are things I’ll tolerate and things I won’t. I like flashes of brilliance and I like initiative. I don’t mind confidence that stops short of arrogance but here are the things I won’t accept: disinterest and laziness. No one is going to do your job for you and I don’t expect you to pick up anyone else’s slack if they’re not performing, but I do expect you to earn your pay rate.’