partner, because you’d assume he could manage to make decisions and reach independent conclusions without asking the little woman. But obviously you don’t think I can do the same.’
‘I never said-’
‘Doesn’t that sound like sexism to you? It does to me. And I’m sure my union rep would think so.’
Glass looked flustered. Clearly this wasn’t the way he had intended the meeting to go. Marina had the advantage. She pressed it.
‘Is my professionalism being called into question? Am I not doing my job at the level expected of me?’
‘Well, yes… ’
‘Yes. I would think so. Especially as you’ve just sat there and said as much before taking me off the investigation. If you think I’m not capable of doing my job, then fair enough, but-’
The door opened. Mickey entered. He looked between the two of them, sensed the atmosphere.
‘Sorry, sir,’ he said to Glass. ‘I’ll come back later.’
‘You may as well stay, Mickey,’ Marina said, turning to him. ‘Our leader here is just suspending me.’
‘What?’
‘Apparently I’m compromised. Not because of my work, you understand, but because of who I live with. That renders me incapable of working efficiently.’
Glass stood up. Clearly angry now. ‘I only said-’
Mickey cut him off. ‘No. I’m sorry, sir, but you’re wrong.’
Glass looked like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. ‘What? What did you say to me?’
‘Marina is a very valuable member of the team, sir. Highly rated, with a proven track record.’
‘We can get another psychologist in, if that’s what you-’
‘We’ve done that before, sir. It didn’t end well. There’s no other psychologist I’d rather have working alongside me.’
‘Are you questioning my decision, DS Philips?’
‘I suppose I must be, sir.’
‘As your superior officer-’
‘With all due respect, sir, I’m in charge of this team. You put me in charge yourself. And as the leader of this investigation, I want Marina to stay. She’s too valuable to lose.’
Glass stared at the pair of them. Marina saw the anger in his eyes turn to hatred. His hands started twitching. She could well imagine what he wanted to do with those hands.
He couldn’t speak. Too angry. Instead he walked round the desk, pushed his way past and out the door. They watched him stride across the main office and through the double doors. He tried to slam them but they wouldn’t allow it.
Neither of them spoke for a few seconds. Then Marina turned to Mickey.
‘Thank you.’
He smiled, sighing with relief. ‘No problem. I’m not having him get rid of another one.’
‘Good.’
‘But,’ said Mickey with a smile, ‘it’s time to get back to work.’
Marina gave a mock salute. ‘Yes, sir.’
She walked out of the office, back to her own desk.
91
‘Here,’ said Phil. ‘This is the one.’
Phil stood on the pavement outside Donna Warren’s house. Don beside him. They both stopped, stared at it.
‘Looks empty,’ said Don.
‘Yeah.’ Phil walked up the front path. ‘I’ll knock anyway.’
He had phoned Don as soon as he had listened to his voicemail. He couldn’t believe who it was from.
‘Hi,’ she had started, clearly uneasy. ‘It’s… Rose Martin. Detective Sergeant Rose Martin, in case you’ve forgotten, which I doubt you have. Or I should say, Detective Inspector.’ Then a sigh. ‘If that’s actually real. Anyway. I’m… I need to talk to you. About Glass. Brian Glass. He’s your DCI now.’ Another pause while she tried to find the correct words. ‘Don’t trust him. Really. Seriously, don’t trust him. He’s dirty. Bent. And I’ve got evidence. There’s a book. It’s here. In my hand. It’s… you wouldn’t believe it. The stuff in it. You just… ’ Another sigh. Then a laugh. ‘I can’t believe I’m calling you. You, of all people.’ Another laugh. ‘Considering how much I fucking hate you. And you know that. That’s not news.’ Another sigh. ‘But you’re honest. And I can trust you. And I need someone I can trust.’ She paused again. When she spoke, it sounded like the words were reluctant to come. Her voice small and hesitant. Stumbling. ‘And you did save my life. And I never really thanked you for that. Not with everything… ’ She cleared her throat. ‘Anyway. I’m rambling.’ Then her voice stronger, back to business. ‘Listen. This is important. If you don’t hear from me again, come to this address.’ She gave out the address of the house they were now standing outside. ‘Meet Donna. Donna Warren. Talk to her. She’ll tell you everything. And she’ll have the book. It’s a cheap blue exercise book. You must get it. Read it.’ Another pause. ‘I’m going to call him now. Glass. Give him a chance to explain himself. To turn himself in. It not… ’ A longer pause. So long that Phil thought she must have hung up. When she spoke again, her voice was uneven. ‘Nice knowing you. Well it wasn’t, but you know what I mean.’ Then the sound of the line going dead. Quickly.
Phil had checked the time of the call, tried to remember where he’d been, what he’d been doing. He’d been at the hospital, talking to Samuel. He remembered that Glass’s phone had rung at the same time. He knew who that would have been. Glass had disappeared straight afterwards.
He had phoned Don.
‘Not gone in to work?’ he had asked him.
‘Reckon they can do without me for one day,’ Don had replied. ‘Reckon you might need me more.’
Phil hadn’t answered.
He had met Don on Barrack Street. Played him the voicemail.
‘What d’you think?’ he had asked him.
‘Sounds legit,’ the ex-copper had said. ‘On the level. She wouldn’t have gone to all that trouble of calling you, you especially, if it wasn’t important.’
Phil agreed.
‘And Glass… ’ said Don. ‘I reckon she’s right about him.’
‘How d’you mean?’
‘I’ve got my doubts about him too. Had them for years.’
Phil had stared at him.
‘I was going to share them with you.’
‘When?’ said Phil, bitterness in his voice. ‘When I was older?’
‘Sorry.’ Don sighed. ‘Look, how are you? Bearing up, I mean.’
‘I’m fine,’ said Phil, clearly lying. ‘Jim Dandy.’
‘Maybe we should-’
‘We’ll talk later. Let’s deal with this first.’
He knocked on the door. They waited for a reply. There wasn’t one.
He tried again, harder this time. He received nothing but sore knuckles.
‘Not in,’ said Don.
Phil stepped away from the door, cupped his hands round his face, peered in through the filthy front window.
He straightened up, looked at Don.
‘We’d better break in,’ he said.
