flogging his ring down the park, then that's it. He's out, and good riddance.'
'How about a drugs charge?'
'Out. In both cases. In the mob, no one wants a hop-head backing you up.'
'And in TecSec?'
'We're very particular. Get a criminal record and it's goodbye.'
'Not bothered by driving over the limit though? Or driving without a licence?'
Patten frowned.
'Over the limit can happen to anyone,' he said. 'But not having a licence… that's plain stupid. I didn't know. We sometimes do driving jobs. That could have got us in big bother.'
'He's got himself in it, certainly. But the way it's looking, that might be all he's facing. No way your clever young brief's going to get him off that.'
'Beasley was the captain's idea. Very paternalistic, the captain. Good quality in an officer, getting close to the men. That's why they have NCOs to make sure they don't take it too far.'
'Like with Rosso?'
Dalziel had passed on Piers Pitt-Evenlode's revelations about Buster Sanderson's interesting military career.
'What's that mean?' said Patten, very alert.
'Just that he must have been very upset by the accident.'
'He was,' said Patten. 'Very upset. Dr Batty's waiting for you. I'd tread careful. He's not in a very good mood today.'
He turned smartly on his heel and marched away.
Dismissed, thought Wield.
Batty jumped up from his armchair as Wield entered the staff sitting room. He looked pale and drawn as if he hadn't slept much last night.
'Sergeant,' he said running his hand through his soft brown hair. 'What's all this about Jane Ambler?'
'Do you use ketamine hydrochloride in your labs, sir?' said Wield.
'K? Why yes. Sometimes. What's that got to do with anything?'
'What do you use it for, sir?'
'As a relaxant. In certain circumstances as an anaesthetic. It was developed by the Americans for veterinary purposes initially, and because our experimental animals are used in tests which can involve anything from new drugs to surgery we have to have available a wide variety of control techniques so we can be quite sure whatever tests we're conducting on a new drug, say, aren't being affected by an existing drug…'
'I'm with you,' said Wield. 'So would it be possible for you to check your supplies of K and see if any is missing?'
'How much are we talking?'
'Twelve capsules.'
Batty shook his head in irritation as if Wield had said something stupid.
Who's been rattling his cage? wondered the sergeant.
'We make up our own capsules here if we need them, so it's not just a matter of counting. Twelve, you say? Couple of grams tops. Well, we'd know of course how much has been used and where it's been used. But if anyone cared to change the proportions slightly, or if a spillage was reported…’
'Spillage? What do you mean?'
'For heaven's sake, don't you speak English?' snapped Batty. 'These are animals we are dealing with here, sergeant. Some of them quite large and strong. They don't all just lie there and take it, you know. Quite often there will be some wastage as we administer a dosage. Of course then we start again from scratch. A spillage will be sluiced away, not swept up and used again.'
He gave a little shudder as though offended by the thought.
'Very hygienic, I'm sure,' murmured Wield. 'Can we take a look?'
They took a look. The records and the amount of the drug remaining checked exactly. There were however three reported spillages involving Jane Ambler.
'Butterfingers,' said Wield.
'Even these amounts wouldn't be enough for twelve capsules,' objected Batty.
'Then mebbe she put a bit aside for herself whenever she used the drug,' said Wield.
'But that might have had an effect on some of our experiments!' said Batty indignantly.
'I assume, if it were being used as an anaesthetic, it wouldn't have been very pleasant for the poor animals either,' retorted Wield.
Batty eyed him narrowly.
'Sergeant Wield, I assure you we have the very highest regard for the welfare of our animals. Now before we go further I insist you tell me what precise evidence you have against Miss Ambler or any other member of my staff.'
'Not enough to bring charges, not yet,' Wield replied. 'But enough to make me suggest, sir, that you take a very thorough inventory of the drugs in your care and review your security procedures in respect of them.'
It sounded pretty neutral to him but Batty was clearly at the end of his short fuse.
He said harshly, 'I don't need you to tell me how to run my labs, sergeant. Not when you can't organize a piss-up in your own brewery.'
'Don't follow, sir,' said Wield, conventionally stolid.
'You're acting like you're one hundred per cent sure that a crime's been committed here but you're telling me there's nothing you can do about it,' he sneered. 'What a way to run a police force! Well, if you can't act, I can. Good day to you, sergeant.'
He turned and marched away.
Dismissed again, thought Wield.
As he unlocked his car, Patten reappeared, smiling.
'Warned you not to upset the doc, didn't I? He can be really vindictive.'
'How do you know what I've been doing?'
'Watching you on closed-circuit of course. It's all right, it's not wired for sound but I could tell you weren't whispering sweet nothings in his ear. Look, I should mebbe have warned you, you could be on a hiding to nothing bad-mouthing Miss Frigidaire. They're very close, know what I mean?'
He gave an exaggerated pelvic thrust.
Wield looked at him in surprise. He hadn't got the feeling that Batty felt particularly protective to Jane Ambler. On the contrary.
'How do you know this?' he asked.
'The old CCTV again. Like Nixon and them tapes, you get so used to a thing you forget it's still working even when you don't want it. Saw them at it right there where they keep the animals. Makes you wonder who should be in cages, doesn't it?'
'No competition. This system, was it running the night those women ran wild?'
'Sure.'
'Why'd you not mention it?'
'Why the hell should I? No crime, no damage, no charges, what's to mention? If you'd asked you could have seen it. And don't say you didn't know. The cameras are there for all to see and you've seen the monitors.'
'Fair point. Like to see it now but if it's not been wiped.'
'We do a five-day cycle so you should be just in time. Anything in particular?'
'When you cornered Marvell and she looked set to take a swing with the wire cutters.'
'You keep on about that. Why so interested? There was no harm done.'
'Not this time.'
It was a silly thing to say. The old silent Wield wouldn't have let it slip. The sweet relaxing air of Enscombe wasn't all beneficial.
He could see Patten's sharp mind working.
'This time… er, you're never trying to tie that old bird in with that poor devil those bastards topped at Fraser Greenleaf?'
