excruciating pain, unable to stand upright. An ambulance took him to Richmond hospital at ten-fifteen. The team hovered around, discussing what could be wrong with their Gov. By mid-morning they knew it was serious. DCI Morgan had bleeding ulcers and would be out of action for some considerable time. This meant that a new DCI would have to take over the case, and fast.
By early afternoon, they were informed that DCI James Langton was stepping in, and bringing two officers with him.
Chapter Two
DAY SEVEN
Anna watched from the Incident Room window as Langton arrived. It was just after ten. He parked erratically and then slammed the car door shut. He was still driving his beat-up Rover, but was looking far smarter than poor old Gov Morgan had ever managed, in a navy-blue striped suit, a pale blue shirt with a white collar, and a maroon tie.
Langton was joined in the car park by D.S. John Barolli and D.I. Mike Lewis, the other two officers Anna had worked alongside on the Daniels case. They carried a mound of files between them. They chatted together for a few moments before heading into the station.
Anna was sitting at her desk making herself look busy when Langton strode into the room, flanked by Lewis and Barolli. He went straight to the Incident board and looked over it before facing the team. He introduced his sidekicks and, giving a curt nod to Anna, expressed his regret that their Gov had been taken into hospital. Then he moved on to the case.
‘I will need to assimilate all the data you have, but meanwhile, you can’t waste any time. It seems you have little or nothing to go on, bar the fact you have your victim identified. I want forensics over to the girls’ flat as it has not as yet been eliminated as the scene of the murder. I want you to start listing all Louise Pennel’s friends and associates and start taking statements fast. She was missing for three days; where was she? Who was the last person to see her alive? Give me until tomorrow morning for my briefing; until then, let’s get moving!’
A murmur erupted as he gathered up a row of files and looked around for Morgan’s office. A young female DC led him through the Incident Room past Anna’s desk. Langton paused for a second and looked at her.
‘Hello, Anna. Nice to be working with you again.’ Then he was gone.
Anna flushed, turning back to her computer screen. Barolli and Lewis came over to stand by her desk. Barolli made a joke about it becoming a habit. Anna looked confused.
‘Well, you were brought onto Langton’s team for the Alan Daniels case when Detective Hudson got sick. Now we’re together again, but this time it was your Guv’nor who got ill. Putting something into the coffee, are you?’
Anna smiled, but was not amused.
‘I suppose that case must have helped to get you a promotion. Congratulations,’ Lewis said.
She couldn’t help noticing an undercurrent of sarcasm in his tone; it had obviously not helped him. The duo then followed Langton into his office.
The young DC came out from Langton’s office which faced the Incident Room and so had blinds for privacy. Anna watched as the DC filled three mugs with black coffee and a plate with doughnuts.
‘Good-looking, isn’t he? Nice suit,’ she said.
Anna smiled. ‘He hates his coffee cold. If that’s stewed, I’d get the canteen to make a fresh pot.’
‘So you’ve worked with the DCI before?’
‘Yes, a while back.’
‘Is he married?’
Anna turned away. ‘Not as far as I know. That coffee will be cold if it wasn’t before.’
As the young DC moved off, Anna looked over to the officer working at the next desk. ‘What’s her name? I keep forgetting?’
He didn’t even look up. ‘Bridget; like the diaries.’
Anna smiled. The young DC was slightly overweight but very pretty, with silky blonde hair, unlike Anna’s own spiky red. Anna had tried to grow hers longer but it didn’t look right, so she had gone back to her usual cropped cut which
By early afternoon, they were informed that DCI James Langton was stepping in, and bringing two officers with him.
Chapter Two
DAY SEVEN
Anna watched from the Incident Room window as Langton arrived. It was just after ten. He parked erratically and then slammed the car door shut. He was still driving his beat-up Rover, but was looking far smarter than poor old Gov Morgan had ever managed, in a navy-blue striped suit, a pale blue shirt with a white collar, and a maroon tie.
Langton was joined in the car park by D.S. John Barolli and D.I. Mike Lewis, the other two officers Anna had worked alongside on the Daniels case. They carried a mound of files between them. They chatted together for a few moments before heading into the station.
Anna was sitting at her desk making herself look busy when Langton strode into the room, flanked by Lewis and Barolli. He went straight to the Incident board and looked over it before facing the team. He introduced his sidekicks and, giving a curt nod to Anna, expressed his regret that their Gov had been taken into hospital. Then he moved on to the case.
‘I will need to assimilate all the data you have, but meanwhile, you can’t waste any time. It seems you have little or nothing to go on, bar the fact you have your victim identified. I want forensics over to the girls’ flat as it has not as yet been eliminated as the scene of the murder. I want you to start listing all Louise Pennel’s friends and associates and start taking statements fast. She was missing for three days; where was she? Who was the last person to see her alive? Give me until tomorrow morning for my briefing; until then, let’s get moving!’
A murmur erupted as he gathered up a row of files and looked around for Morgan’s office. A young female DC led him through the Incident Room past Anna’s desk. Langton paused for a second and looked at her.
‘Hello, Anna. Nice to be working with you again.’ Then he was gone.
Anna flushed, turning back to her computer screen. Barolli and Lewis came over to stand by her desk. Barolli made a joke about it becoming a habit. Anna looked confused.
‘Well, you were brought onto Langton’s team for the Alan Daniels case when Detective Hudson got sick. Now we’re together again, but this time it was your Guv’nor who got ill. Putting something into the coffee, are you?’
Anna smiled, but was not amused.
‘I suppose that case must have helped to get you a promotion. Congratulations,’ Lewis said.
She couldn’t help noticing an undercurrent of sarcasm in his tone; it had obviously not helped him. The duo then followed Langton into his office.
The young DC came out from Langton’s office which faced the Incident Room and so had blinds for privacy. Anna watched as the DC filled three mugs with black coffee and a plate with doughnuts.
‘Good-looking, isn’t he? Nice suit,’ she said.
Anna smiled. ‘He hates his coffee cold. If that’s stewed, I’d get the canteen to make a fresh pot.’
‘So you’ve worked with the DCI before?’
‘Yes, a while back.’
‘Is he married?’
Anna turned away. ‘Not as far as I know. That coffee will be cold if it wasn’t before.’
As the young DC moved off, Anna looked over to the officer working at the next desk. ‘What’s her name? I keep forgetting?’
He didn’t even look up. ‘Bridget; like the diaries.’
Anna smiled. The young DC was slightly overweight but very pretty, with silky blonde hair, unlike Anna’s own spiky red. Anna had tried to grow hers longer but it didn’t look right, so she had gone back to her usual cropped cut which
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