Martin Edwards - The Frozen Shroud

Get on with it, the suspense is killing me.

Lauren picked up a paper clip that had escaped from its appointed niche in her desk tidy. ‘Here is what I’ve proposed to the Police and Crime Commissioner. Your direct reports will be reduced to one DS, one DC, and two admin assistants. The consultant’s fixed-term contract will not be renewed on expiry.’

Okay, then. Deep breath. May as well be hanged for a sheep as a lamb.

‘Why not get rid of us once and for all?’ Hannah demanded. ‘Do the job properly rather than inflict death by a thousand cuts, and simply prolong the agony. The workload is crushing the team already.’

‘I never said it would be easy.’

‘You’re getting rid of Les Bryant, our most experienced man.’

‘He’s retired once already, he can spend more time with his allotment or whatever they do in Yorkshire.’

Hannah bit her tongue. How easy to say something that sent her career whirling into oblivion. Was that what Lauren wanted?

‘The rest of the team — who chooses the people who stay, and those who go?’

‘You do, Hannah. It wouldn’t be right for me to interfere. You’re in charge, after all.’

So I wield the axe, and all those difficult decisions become my fault.

‘Everyone who leaves the team moves to another team? No job losses?’

‘Absolutely. Except for the consultant, of course, he isn’t on the permanent strength. And there’s more good news. The people at risk are going to be pooled. You might want to bring someone else in to replace a current post-holder. When things are tight, it makes sense to freshen things up.’

‘It’s a great team. Why would I want to lose any of them?’

‘As I say, it’s entirely up to you. But you might wish to think about asking Greg Wharf to move on. They are short-handed in Public Protection after the recent early retirements.’

‘Greg as a minder for visiting politicians? Why on earth would I want to lose him? And why would he want to make the move?’

Lauren allowed herself to reprise her perfect smile.

‘I’m only thinking of your reputation. Greg’s is a lost cause. I’ve heard a whisper that the two of you are becoming … quite close. Sounds to me like you’re perched at the top of a slippery slope, Hannah. Take a tip from me. You’d be well advised to scramble off that slope. As soon as.’

Head buzzing, Hannah returned down the corridor. She was unsteady on her feet, as if she’d been smacked about by Stefan rather than just had a talk with the brass about finance and staffing.

‘All right?’

A grizzled figure limped out from the kitchen, his battered shoes squeaking on the tiled floor. Les Bryant, cold case consultant, and both guru and team mascot. A man she, and everyone else who mattered, would trust with their lives.

‘Not really.’

‘Audience with her ladyship?’ Les put his hand on her arm, an uncharacteristic gesture. ‘Don’t fret. I’ve had a good innings. Two good innings, as a matter of fact.’

Hannah caught his hand and squeezed it briefly. Even more uncharacteristic.

‘’Sides, I seem to need a season ticket for the GP’s surgery nowadays.’ He flexed knobbly finger joints to emphasise his point. ‘It’s no fun getting old. Suppose I’m ready for the bloody pipe and slippers after all.’

After dropping the bombshell, Lauren had sworn Hannah to secrecy. The commissioner hadn’t signed off her proposals yet. Though she’d never have shown her hand unless she was confident that she held the aces.

‘What do you know?’ Her voice was hoarse with emotion.

‘When you’ve been a detective as long as me, it’s not what you know, it’s what your gut tells you.’

‘There won’t be a formal announcement for another week.’

‘’Course not. Takes time to draft a news release, doesn’t it? Any road, the formal stuff is always the last link in the chain. Office grapevines work faster than any intranet.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘No need. I’m not dead yet. And my contract isn’t over, either. I don’t suppose a payment in lieu is on the table, and I wouldn’t take it even if they offered. The ship may not be sinking, but you still need all hands on deck.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Nowt to thank me for. Promise me one thing, Hannah.’

‘What’s that?’

‘Don’t destroy your own prospects over this. Look after number one, that’s my advice. Do yourself a favour, go with the flow.’

Hannah looked into his bloodshot eyes. ‘My old boss once told me the best detectives don’t waste their time going with the flow.’

‘Right, but Ben Kind came close to drowning once or twice himself. And one day you might find you don’t have a lifebelt.’

Half an hour later, Greg Wharf waltzed into her office. He’d spent the day in Barrow, checking on a possible link between half a dozen sexual assaults dating back to the nineties. As he finished his debrief, he added, ‘By the way, you don’t need to say anything.’

‘What about?’

‘You know, the cuts.’

‘I’m not saying anything.’

‘Fine.’ He stretched his legs. ‘I wouldn’t mind Public Protection. Bodyguard to nubile young pop stars? I can handle that.’

‘Oh yeah? Don’t plan your life around it, that’s all.’

His mouth folded into a grin, as if to remind her what a good-looking sergeant she had. Not quite as good-looking as he thought. But not bad.

‘I’ll take my cue from you, ma’am.’

‘That’ll be the day.’

‘Didn’t we agree to have a bite to eat sometime? What are you doing after work?’

‘Sorry. I’m going out tonight.’ Better make clear it wasn’t with Marc. ‘I’m seeing Terri. Remember that Polish barman? He’s giving her a hard time. Apparently he’s done time back in Poland for assault, and now he’s awaiting trial for punching a guy he worked with.’

‘Why doesn’t that surprise me?’ The grin vanished. ‘I smelt the anger on him when we met. Mister Nice Guy as long as everything suits him, but ready to turn nasty any time his nose is put out of joint.’

‘I’m worried for Terri. She’s hopeless at looking after herself.’

‘She’s a big girl, Hannah.’ Greg looked as though he was about to make a breast-related joke, then thought better of it. ‘You can’t live her life for her. Tell her to see one of m’learned friends. They’ll slap an injunction on the bastard.’

‘Mmmmm. You know what lawyers are like. Only ready to move if the evidence stacks up, and the case is handed to them tied up with pink ribbon.’

‘Let me know if I can do anything to help.’

‘Thanks,’ she said, uncertain what kind of help he had in mind. Perhaps a quiet word with Stefan, possibly something more direct. Like Terri, he was a risk-taker. Was that why, against all the odds, she’d taken a shine to him?

‘If you’re busy tonight, how about dinner tomorrow?’

Persistent, or what? ‘I might be washing my hair.’

He laughed. ‘It’s fine as it is.’

‘Don’t think flattery will get you anywhere.’

‘Hey, I wasn’t trying to appeal to your vanity. Just your stomach.’

‘I need to lose pounds, not add them.’

A sidelong glance. ‘You could have fooled me.’

She reminded herself what she’d just said about flattery. ‘Not dinner. A quick drink. Maybe.’

After Greg had left the room, Hannah scowled at the spreadsheet for five more minutes before giving it up for the day. Forget what Lauren had said about her and Greg. The gossips could fuck off. She clung to the belief that with him, she’d always been one hundred per cent professional.

Was that enough? Perception often mattered more than reality. The temptation to do the opposite of Lauren’s bidding was almost impossible to resist. It wasn’t so easy to brush aside words of wisdom from Les Bryant. If people started to hint that she was shagging Greg, her career would soon go into freefall.