The DCI said the word ‘initiative’ as if he wasn’t entirely
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sure it was something he approved of It was, after all, contrary to current philosophies. Policework was now a team activity, a question of routine legvvork and good communication, compar ing and correlating, inputting vast amounts of data and seeing what came out of the computer or what matched up at the torensics lab. Unplanned night-time arrests in remote spots by off-duty detectives did not fit the plan.
Cooper was still smarting from an early-morning dressing down by Hitchens for his total disregard of proper procedures, for not letting anyone know what he was doing, and for his criminal foolishness in putting himself and a fellow officer at risk. Words like ‘rash’, ‘irresponsible’ and ‘foolhardy’ had been used, and in his heart Ben Cooper could not deny that they were justified. But Lee Sherratt was in custody.
The DCI was still talking. ‘There was an initial interview with Sherratt last night, and the tapes are already transcribed. He will be interviewed again this morning by myself.’
Cooper put his hand up. Tailby’s eyes swivelled towards him.
‘Let me guess, Cooper, you’re going to ask about Harry Dickinson.’
‘Yes, sir.’
Tailbv shuffled some papers.
‘He was unavailable last night, but there’s an action allocated
o
this morning to ask him about the bird-watcher’s sighting on
o o o
Saturday night.’
J O
‘We ought to press him,’ said Cooper. ‘He hasn’t been cooperating so far.’
‘We shouldn’t be wasting too much time on him,’ protested Hitchens. ‘He’s just an awkward old sod.’
‘With respect, sir, I think it was more than that. He was upset about something.’
‘Upset? Bloody rude, more like.’
‘No, there was something else.’ Cooper shook his head.
Tailby frowned. ‘Justify it, lad. Where’s your evidence?’
‘I can’t really explain what it was, sir, but I could feel it. It’s … well, it’s just a feeling.’
‘Ah. For a moment there, Cooper, I thought you were going to say it was feminine intuition.’
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Several of the officers began to fitter, and Cooper flushed. ‘We could check Mr Dickinson’s movements out more care
fullv. lust in case.’ j j
Tailby nodded. ‘All right, that sounds thorough. Do you want to action this yourself, Cooper?’
‘Of course.’
As Tailby finished the briefing, Hitchens got up and came uer to I-ry.
‘Off to sunny Yorkshire then, Diane. Call home and pack an overnight bag for when we get the call. These students can be elusive, so it might not be until tonight.’
Cooper waited until Hitchens had moved away.
‘You should be in on the interviews with Sherratt,’ he said. ‘It was your arrest.’
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Fry. But Cooper could see that it did. He wasn’t comfortable, either, with the idea of her being away with Dl Hitchens. But it was her own business, of course. Nothing to do with him. If she wanted to take the opportunity of sleeping her way to the top, let her get on with it.
Tn the hut there, with Lee Sherratt …’he said.
‘Yes, Ben?’ She turned to him, ready to brush aside the thanks.
‘That was a lucky blow. He walked right into it. But a side-handed strike would have been better.’
‘Oh really? You know that, do you?’
T’m a shotokan brown belt,’ he said.
Fry gave a chilly smile. ‘Well, hey, that’s great. I’ve been looking for a dojo round here. I’m falling behind in my training. Can you suggest somewhere?’
‘Come along with me. I can get you in at my club. Maybe
O O J J
we can have a friendly bout. It’ll be a bit of practice for you.’
‘In case I have to pull you out of the shit again, do you mean?’
Cooper grinned. ‘It’s always worth learning a bit more, getting your techniques right. Will you come along? When you get back from Yorkshire?’
She stared at him — an appraising stare, as if she were weighing
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up an opponent, measuring his capabilities, judging how murh of a threat to her he could be.
‘Do you know, I’d really love to do that, Ben. And I’ll keep you to that bout, don’t you worry.’
Lee Sherratt sat sullenly 111 an interview room, staring at the two cassette recorders and twin video cameras. His skin was faintly swarthy, as if he had a fading suntan or hadn’t washed for a long
