Кара Хантер - All the Rage

Gis gives him a warning look and a meaningful glance towards Asante, who's well within earshot. But he still seems completely absorbed in the proposed changes to the Police Service Pension Scheme.

Ev shakes her head. `˜I don't think it's that `“ not this time. I saw them last weekend at the Summertown farmers' market. She had her back to me but they looked pretty loved-up.'

`˜So what then `“ has he got Harrison chewing his ear?'

Gis considers. `˜Hasn't he always? But whatever it is, I say we just keep our heads down and avoid pissing him off, eh?' He reaches for a plastic cup and presses the button for cappuccino. `˜Which in your case, Quinn, means tracking down those hire vans. And pronto.'

Quinn gives him a sardonic look Gis pretends not to see, and the three of them make their way back to their desks. A few moments later Somer emerges from the Ladies. Her hair is smooth and her face calm, but there's a slight redness about her eyes that only someone observant would see. As she draws close to Asante he turns from the noticeboard.

`˜Everything OK?'

He says it pleasantly enough but there's something about him that always makes her unsettled.

`˜Of course,' she says, quickening her step. `˜Why wouldn't it be?'

* * *

You don't need to tell me I didn't handle that very well. I was just a bit wrong-footed, that's all. It's been years `“ years when I've done my damnedest to lock it away, and now, out of nowhere `“

My phone rings. It's Challow. He hasn't bothered waiting for me to call him. And he doesn't bother with informalities either.

`˜You got the email?'

`˜Are you absolutely sure `“ it couldn't be anything else?'

`˜Unlike human beings, chemistry doesn't lie. It's one reason why I like this job.'

`˜Shit.'

`˜Yes,' he says heavily. `˜I suspect that's probably the most appropriate response. In the circumstances.'

There's a silence. Then, `˜What are you going to do?'

`˜I don't know.'

I hear him draw breath. `˜You need to tell your team `“ it's not fair to keep them in the dark `“'

`˜I know. I just need some time to think this through.'

I can almost hear him shrug. `˜Well, that's your call, though it wouldn't be mine. But either way, you have to speak to Harrison. And without wishing to sound like a shit, if you don't, I will.'

* * *

Everett and Somer have opted to hang out in the canteen at the FE college in an attempt to keep things casual, but even without uniforms they stand out like grannies in Doc Martens. The students buy coffee and Danish and gather chattering at adjacent tables, but all the while you can sense the tension, see the glances thrown in the officers' direction. It's not unease exactly, but disquiet, an awareness that something's up.

`˜So what do we do?' asks Everett in an undertone. `˜Pull on our size elevenses and start gatecrashing?'

Somer gestures towards a girl who's just joined the coffee queue; she has a large portfolio on the floor by her feet, a pixie haircut and wide brown eyes. `˜That may be as good a place to start as any.'

`˜OK,' says Everett. `˜I'll start the other side.'

`˜You're doing Art, are you?' says Somer as she takes her place in the queue behind the girl with the portfolio.

The girl turns and smiles. `˜Fashion and Design actually. But the bloody sketchbooks are no smaller.'

`˜We've been talking to some of your classmates, but I don't think I remember you?'

The girl gives her order and turns back to Somer. `˜Yeah, I heard about that. You're from the police, right?'

Somer makes a rueful gesture. `˜Rumbled.'

But the girl seems unfazed. `˜I had that bug over the weekend, that's why I wasn't around on Monday. I'm Jess, Jess Beardsley. You were asking about Faith?'

`˜You know her?'

The girl makes a face. `˜Not exactly know , but I don't think anyone here does really.'

Somer buys a bottle of water and follows the girl towards an empty table.

`˜So you're on the same course, the two of you?' she asks as they sit down.

Jess nods. `˜But she's out of my league. Seriously shit hot. No one else is even close.'

`˜And that doesn't make other people jealous? No one likes a swot, do they?'

The girl laughs. `˜Faith's not like that. She doesn't mind helping you out. You know, making suggestions and stuff. She isn't up herself.'

`˜Does she have a boyfriend?'

Jess shakes her head. `˜No one here, anyway. Not for want of trying by some of them. But she doesn't seem that interested. Though, frankly, I can see her point.'

She glances across at the lads at the next table; they're laughing at something and digging each other in the ribs. `˜Bunch of overgrown kids, most of them.'

Somer returns the ironic look. `˜How about girlfriends?'

Jess picks up her spoon and starts to stir, a small smile on the edge of her mouth. `˜You mean girlfriends or girl friends?'

Somer keeps her voice neutral. `˜Either.'

`˜Neither, in fact.' She licks the spoon then puts it down. `˜And that's not for want of trying, too.'

* * *

Harrison must have done some sort of a deal with Facilities because his office is actually warm. He isn't even wearing his jacket, which is on a hanger on the coat stand in the far corner. A proper coat hanger. With satin padding. I suspect there's a clothes brush in his drawer too though I've never actually seen it.

He looks up at me and gestures to the chair.

`˜Your PA said you wanted a quick chat, sir. About the Appleford assault.'

He sits back. `˜On the hate crime angle specifically. The Area Commander wants an update.'

`˜Enquiries are still ongoing, sir. We've turned up nothing conclusive so far.'

`˜Which reminds me,' he says, perking up a little, `˜I gather the new addition to your team has rather distinguished himself on this one.'

I feel my nerves prickling; he has no business knowing that.

`˜It was good solid policework, sir. What I expect from all my team.'

He looks at me, and then away. For some reason, he wants Asante to do well. And not just because he was the one who hired him.

`˜So,' he says, `˜is there any progress on running down the perp?'

His bloody vocabulary gets more transatlantic by the day. If he starts talking about `˜unsubs' I may actually have to kill him.

`˜We've identified several vans that were on Cherwell Drive and the Marston Ferry Road at the right time, sir. We're endeavouring to establish if the drivers have valid alibis, but beyond that we have very little to go on.'

Harrison frowns, picks up his pen and starts tapping it. I'm trying not to let it irritate me.

`˜What about an appeal `“ asking the public for help?'

So that's it. I wonder, for a tiny moment, if he's been talking to Gis `“ whether that's where Gis got it from. But he can't have `“ Gis wouldn't go behind my back `“

`˜I'm not sure that's a good idea, sir. It could cause significant and completely unnecessary alarm `“'

His frown deepens. `˜I'm not sure the quick wins might not outweigh any potential downside.'

Jesus. He'll be talking about low-hanging fruit next.

`˜We can certainly keep it as an option, sir.'

`˜So you'll have a word with the Press Office `“ tee them up, just in case?'

I get to my feet, glad of any excuse to get out of there `“ to make this conversation stop. And it's not his turgid bloody lingo I'm talking about now. To paraphrase those immortal words, I do not have to say anything, but it's quite another thing not mentioning it when questioned at point-blank range.

`˜Absolutely, sir. I'll get on to them right away.'