Lynda La Plante - Wrongful Death

‘For you, ma’am, we’d work for nothing,’ he said.

‘Go on, bugger off, the lot of you,’ Anna said, knowing that whatever the outcome of the interview with Taylor, this team had already gelled and, she felt, accepted her as their leader.

It was just before four p.m. when Langton finally walked into Anna’s office with a cup of coffee in each hand, sitting himself down in one of the comfortable armchairs and putting the cups on the small coffee table.

‘White no sugar for you, as I recall.’

‘Thanks.’ Anna went over to join him, sitting opposite on the sofa.

‘Any Scotch?’

‘No. But I’ll put it on the shopping list.’

‘Where is everyone?’

‘They’d all done their eight hours so I told them to call it a day.’

‘Good. They’ll have to get used to it as there’s no overtime allocated to this case.’

‘So this new state-of-the-art office is budget money well spent, is it?’ Anna enquired.

‘I knew this was going to be the first of the new high-tech murder investigation offices and I pulled a few strings to make sure your team was permanently based here.’

‘Is it a fixed post for a DCI as well?’

‘Yes, and before you get on your high horse, you’ve worked with nearly everyone out there. They respect you and above all you know how to motivate them. The best team for the best SIO.’

Anna leaned forward with a sharp grin and looked Langton directly in the eye.

‘Please don’t flatter me, James. I know you too well. The best team with the best office and SIO, I’ll give you, but why lumber us with a crap job?’

‘If I gave the team a case before this office opened I couldn’t guarantee to get you based here. The Reynolds thing is just something to tide you over and shouldn’t take long to put to bed. Anyway, there were no live murder cases to allocate you.’

‘I know you’re hiding something. Joshua Reynolds isn’t some long lost relation or friend of an auntie’s uncle twice removed, is he?’

Langton now mimicked Anna, leaning forward with a grin and staring her in the eye.

‘How would you feel about joining me…?’

‘You can’t fob me off with dinner.’

‘I meant at Quantico.’

Her jaw dropped in surprise. ‘Joining you! At the FBI Academy?’

‘There’s a place that’s just become available on their Senior Command course. But if you have too much on your plate at the moment then…’

‘Not at all, I’d love to do it!’ Anna exclaimed.

Langton stared at her and nodded.

‘Good. Sorry it’s short notice but we leave in eleven days on the Thursday-morning flight from Heathrow. It’ll mean being away for nearly three months. Well, for you. As you know, I will be staying on longer.’

‘Thank you, but why me?’

‘Well, Mike Lewis was supposed to be going but he pulled out after his daughter was in a car accident last week…’

‘Elisa? She’s only twelve, please tell me it isn’t serious,’ Anna said, shocked at the news.

‘No. A drunken cyclist hit her on a zebra crossing. Broken leg, a few cuts and bruises, but she’ll be fine.’

‘That’s a relief. I hope Mike doesn’t mind me taking his place.’

‘Of course he won’t. Anyway, he’s pencilled in for the next course and I knew that you had no current commitments. I told Deputy Commissioner Walters you’d be the best replacement for Mike and he agreed.’

‘Thank you, it’ll be an amazing experience.’

‘For both of us, and good for your future promotion prospects.’

‘And yours, I hope.’

‘Maybe – it’s hard to say where Walters is concerned, but I live in hope,’ Langton said optimistically.

‘What about arranging my flight?’

‘It’s just a case of changing your name and details from Mike’s, so e-mail me your passport details.’

‘Great. I can’t wait – and again, thank you for putting my name forward.’

She was suspicious about Walters’ involvement, especially knowing that he did not like Langton, and she wondered why he was allowing them both to go. Perhaps this might be Walters creating a façade, a way of ridding himself of Langton and in his absence ensuring that he would never make Commander.

‘About the Joshua Reynolds investigation… If it isn’t done with before we leave, who is going to take over from me?’ Anna enquired.

‘Paul Barolli’s perfectly capable of dealing with it. Also I’ve arranged for an FBI agent called Jessie Dewar to do some work experience with your team.’

‘Why?’

‘All part of her research for a doctorate in Forensic Psychology. She’s in France at the moment.’

‘Have you met her?’

‘Yes, at a European homicide conference in Paris. She’s pleasant and seems very capable.’

‘Well, if you’re happy and you think she will fit in with the team…’

‘She starts tomorrow morning. Show her the ropes before we leave for the States. She’ll no doubt give you a heads-up about what to expect on the FBI course.’

‘Any more surprises for me?’

‘Yeah, I forgot that she lands at eight p.m. this evening, Terminal Five Heathrow. I’ve got a prior engagement and I wondered if you could…’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t, but I can arrange for a local detective to meet her.’

Langton never ceased to amaze her, even after all these years, still trying to offload what he saw as the mundane things in life. She was annoyed that he hadn’t given her more notice.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door and Paul Barolli walked in, to tell them he had finished reading the Reynolds file and was now off home. Langton was quick to seize the moment and ask Paul if he was doing anything that evening.

‘No, sir. You fancy a pint then?’ Barolli asked, thinking his new rank had knocked him up the social pecking order.

‘Maybe another time, but I need a favour.’

‘Then I’m just your man,’ Barolli smiled.

‘DCI Travis will be joining me at Quantico and FBI Agent Jessie Dewar will be working with the team in her absence.’

‘Right. I see,’ Barolli said with a forlorn look.

‘However, you will be running the show as SIO in DCI Travis’s absence.’

Paul was chuffed with Langton’s faith in him and remarked that he wouldn’t let Langton or Anna down. He turned to leave the room but Langton continued.

‘Running the team’s not the favour. I was wondering if you could pick up Agent Dewar from the airport this evening.’

‘Sure, it’ll be a good opportunity to brief her on the Reynolds case.’

‘I’ve arranged the use of a Met-owned flat in Vauxhall for her,’ Langton said, handing Barolli a set of keys.

‘What does she look like?’ Paul asked.

‘Five seven, medium build, blonde hair.’

Barolli felt none the wiser about Agent Dewar as he put the keys in his pocket and said good night.

It was only after Langton had left the building that Anna had a chance to think about what it would mean for him to spend a whole year in the States working with the FBI. Like Mike Lewis, he too had a family. There was Laura his second wife and her daughter Kitty from a previous marriage, whom he had adopted. There was also their young son Tommy. She contemplated how Laura and the children would be feeling about his long-term absence. Although Anna did not know Laura, she could not believe that she would be happy about the situation. Anna’s past relationship with Langton had made her more than aware that he was never a man who put his family obligations above his career. Anna knew from experience that Langton could be difficult to live with and envisaged that he and Laura also had many ups and downs. It crossed her mind that maybe Laura didn’t care any more and was perfectly content to let him go to America. His family life was something he never discussed and a subject she knew was absolutely taboo.