Jcpson turned to Hitchens. ‘You keep your ear to the ground regarding the staff in your department, don’t you, Paul?’
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‘I try to, sir.’
‘You know we ii have to be making the decision on DS Osborne’s replacement very soon. He signs off tor good at the beginning of next month. DC Cooper was one we had in mind for the job, wasn’t he?’
‘He was top of the shortlist,’ said Hitchens.
‘What’s your view on that now?’
‘Franklv, he appears to be a touch emotionally unstable. He was very moody yesterday. All over something and nothing, as far as I can gather.’
o
‘This new DC, though. Fry …’
‘She’s got better qualifications than Cooper. And she seems very stable, despite her past history.’
Jepson nodded seriously. ‘Ah, the business in the West Midlands. Of course.’
‘A very nasty business,’ said Tailby. ‘But she’s fine now, isn’t she? Paul?’
‘A bit of a cold fish, but solid as a rock, sir. Totally in control, I’d say. Very professional. No ill effects, she says.’
‘You’ve actually discussed it with her?’ asked Jepson.
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Good man. That’s excellent management. Good relations with the staff.’
‘According to her record, she had the standard counselling.
o ‘ o
There’s a note that she packed the sessions in, though, after she split up with a boyfriend. Seems he couldn’t handle it, but she could.’
The suppose that sort of experience can actually make someone a stronger person,’ suggested Tailby.
‘Ah, that’s right. Baptism of fire and all that. Add Diane Fry’s name to the shortlist. Let’s see how she shapes up in the interviews.’
‘Ben Cooper, though … He’d be a popular choice, sir.’
‘Mmm. Emotionally unstable, Paul says. I don’t like the sound of that. Cooper’s a bit too immature yet for a supervisory post, I think. It’s a pity, though. A local lad, wonderful local knowledge. Dedicated, hard-working, bright.’
‘It’s not enough,’ said Hitchens.
o ‘
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Jcpson sighed. ‘You’re probably right. Do I take it we’re agreed DC Cooper is not an option to replace Osborne?’ He waited while the others nodded. ‘In that case, it’d better be done quickly. I’ll see him this morning during the briefing and break the news. I’ll jolly him along a bit, try to soften the blow. Suggest a bit of lateral development.’
The three men sat for a moment, calmly assessing a job well done. Jepson stirred and sat upright, signalling a change of subject.
‘What’s the progress on the Vernon enquiry, then? Stewart?’
‘We don’t need to expend extra resources at this stage, sir. I expect forensic results today. They could wrap the enquiry up, I think.’
‘You’ve got two possibles, haven’t you?’
‘I’m confident forensics will tie in either Lee Sherratt or the bovfriend, Simeon Holmes,’ said Tailby. ‘That will be the breakthrough we need. We could be making an arrest soon.’
‘That sounds like a good press release,’ said Jepson hopefully. ‘If we can get that out to the media today, they might forget about the pigs.’
‘I remain hopeful,’ said Tailby.
Harrv Dickinson was wearing his black-framed bifocals, which
j O ‘
made his eyes look distorted and out of proportion, like smooth stones lying in deep water.
‘And I tell you what, lass. If you see that young copper again, you can tell him if his mates are going to try to blame the Sherratt boy, they’re wasting their time.’
Helen Milner had done some shopping for her grandmother the night before at Somerfield’s in Edendale. Things were much cheaper there than in the little village shop. Normally Gwen would be willing to catch the Hulley’s bus from the stop near the pub for the journey into town for the sake of the money she would save from her pension. But this week she had refused to do the journey, worrying about what the other women would say to her on the bus, believing that the shop assistants would talk about her behind her back, that the checkout girls would refuse to serve her. Nothing Helen could say would persuade
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her she was imagining things. At times, she could be just as stubborn as Harry.
‘He was the gardener at the Mount, but Graham Vernon sacked him,’ she said.
‘Lee Sherratt? He was never a gardener. He can hump a wheelbarrow, but he knows nothing.’
‘They say he had a fancy for Laura.’
‘That’s as maybe. It means nowt.’
