‘No. I’d love to. I mean it would be good, great. What about Yale?’
‘I’ve got approval to assemble my team. It shouldn’t be a problem, but if it is let me know. I’ll need you to report to West End Central at nine tomorrow morning.’
‘Thank you, boss,’ he said and surprised her by swooping in for a hug.
‘Okay, easy tiger,’ she said, but inside she was pleased to have someone who believed in her, even if it was someone with the overconfidence of youth.
* * *
It was snowing again when she stepped out of the main entrance of Bromley Police Station. Her goodbyes had been few, and she was pleased to close the door on a difficult period in her career. She crossed the road to catch the train, and didn’t look back.
Chapter Nineteen
The next morning, Erika found herself back at Sparks’s old office in West End Central Police Station. The door was ajar so she knocked and went through. Melanie Hudson was at his desk, deep in conversation on the phone, and motioned for her to come in. Erika walked into the office, doing a little detour around the patch of carpet where Sparks had collapsed. Little had changed in four days. There was the same view of the grey sky and the snow-covered rooftops. Melanie was now ‘Acting Superintendent’, and had accordingly written this on a piece of paper and taped it over Sparks’s nameplate on the desk. There was no malice in this act, and Erika might have done the same, but it highlighted the clinical nature of the force.
‘Right, Erika, I’m hoping you can just get on with things,’ said Melanie, putting the phone down and rubbing her temples. ‘Sparks has left me with a ton of messy cases, paperwork missing, promises made for resources that he shouldn’t…’ Her voice tailed off. ‘Sorry, it must be tough coming back in here. Did you get eyeballed?’
‘No.’ Several officers had averted their gaze when she’d walked through to the office. She didn’t blame them, she’d probably have done the same.
‘Good. I’ve organised a whip-round for Sparks: look out for a yellow bucket. We’re gonna get a posh bunch of flowers and, er, the rest we’ll give to charity.’
‘Do we know when the funeral is?’ Erika asked. Melanie shook her head. ‘What’s the charity?’
‘Something to do with special needs, I think. It’s taped on the bucket. You got my notes and the case files on Lacey Greene and Janelle Robinson?’
‘Yes, and I’m up to speed—’
Melanie’s phone rang and she picked it up. ‘Can you hold on…’ She put her hand over the phone. ‘Erika, I’d advise a bit more digging before we link the two murders.’
‘The evidence is there. I don’t want to go public yet, but we need to start asking questions.’
‘Ask questions, by all means, but do it with a bit of nous… I’ve got you set up at the other end, and I’m happy with everyone you’ve requested for your team.’
‘They’ll work well with everyone here and…’
‘Shut the door on your way out,’ said Melanie and then went back to her phone call.
At least she didn’t ask me to call her ma’am, thought Erika as she left the office. She was pleased Melanie was getting on with it, and there was no hostility coming from her. She wondered if she was Acting Superintendent with a view to her taking on the role full-time, but she pushed this to the back of her mind.
The various teams in the open-plan office were busy, and there was a loud background noise of chatter and phones ringing. When she walked back down the office, she saw the area she’d been assigned; a small cramped section with desks, bookended with two frosted glass panels. The low ceiling added to the feeling of claustrophobia.
* * *
Moss and Peterson were the first to arrive a few minutes later.
‘Alright, boss?’ said Moss, sloughing off her huge winter coat. ‘So this is our new digs?’
‘It’s a bit smaller than I thought,’ said Erika.
‘It’s Soho. It’s all about square footage,’ said Peterson.
‘Thanks both of you for joining the team.’
Moss and Peterson exchanged glances.
‘What?’
‘We just wanted to check you’re okay,’ said Moss. She lowered her voice. ‘No one wished Sparks dead more than me, but there’s wishing, and it actually happening…’ There was an awkward silence and Peterson shook his head. ‘What? I’m just being honest.’
‘I appreciate you asking, and I’m fine. I just want to get on with things,’ said Erika.
Moss nodded and went to hang her coat up in the corner.
‘And are we cool?’ asked Peterson, moving closer.
‘Course.’
‘You haven’t called,’ he said, searching her face.
‘Did I say I’d call?’
‘No. But I thought you’d call personally about me joining the team.’
‘I was being professional,’ said Erika, looking round the cramped office and feeling awkward.
‘Like it or not, Erika, we have something. I don’t know what that is but it goes beyond our professional relationship.’
Erika could see Moss was busying herself with her bag in the corner, deliberately giving them space.
‘We do, James. But a lot has happened, and I need to concentrate on this case. Okay?’
He didn’t get the opportunity to say any more as John appeared at the glass partition slightly out of breath and rugged up in a coat, hat and gloves.
‘Morning, boss,’ he said, and seeing Moss and Peterson his face broke into a big smile. ‘Nice one, really pleased to be working with you again.’ He and Peterson shook hands, and he went in for a hug with Moss.
‘Okay, I make it ten to nine. I need to go and make a phone call. We should have another five officers joining us for the briefing,’ said Erika and left the office.
Moss looked at Peterson as he folded his coat and sat at one of the desks.
‘It’s going to be fine. She wouldn’t have asked you to join the team if she didn’t want you here.’
‘I want to make sure I’m here for the right reasons,’ he said.
‘You are. She sees beyond whatever is going on between you personally, and sees what I see. A brilliant officer.’ Moss perched on the edge of his desk, and it gave a lurch to one side, and the computer monitor began to slide off. ‘Whoops, fat arse alert!’ She laughed, leaping up and grabbing the monitor just before it hit the carpet. ‘It’s very wobbly, not at all sturdy.’
‘Are we still talking about your backside?’ Peterson grinned.
Moss grabbed a folder off the desk and whacked him over the head.
* * *