Alice nodded, and they ran past the trees and benches with their weathered memorial plaques. If anything, the sight made Alice's expression even more sullen. When they were halfway round, Harriet drew up next to a wooden bench. "I'm puffed. Quick rest?" She threw her jacket over the back and sat down without waiting for an answer.
Alice shrugged and perched on the edge of the bench, looking uncomfortable. "I know what you're doing," she said at last. "It's not going to work."
"What am I doing?"
"You're trying to get me to talk, then you'll tell me I'm a good little Peace Force trainee, and then I'm supposed to change my mind about quitting."
Harriet gestured dismissively. "Actually, you're not that good a trainee. You don't finish your work, you rarely follow orders and you're a bit too keen on shooting first and apologising afterwards."
Alice stared at her.
"But I do think you could be great Peace Force officer, in time." Harriet shrugged. "I guess we'll never know."
"Too right."
"By the way, I got you something," said Harriet, gesturing towards the jacket which she'd draped over the bench.
"You're giving me another uniform? Why? I'm leaving!"
"I meant the bench, you idiot."
Looking puzzled, Alice moved the jacket aside. Underneath was a shiny new plaque, freshly attached to the timber.
In Memory of Sandon Smith,
Beloved Uncle to Alice.
Alice stared at the plaque, unable to speak. "I won't forget this," she said at last, her voice filled with emotion.
"You did a good job out there, Alice. It's just a shame you're giving it all up."
Alice nodded, keeping her head bowed, and Harriet let her be.
After a few moments, Alice looked up, her eyes bright. Then she realised where they were sitting, and she shook her head in disbelief. "This is where I met her, you know? Teresa, I mean. She was waiting for me."
"You should have told me about her sooner."
"Wouldn't have made any difference. She fooled me, Harriet. I believed in her. And all because she let me wear a nice jacket, and she sat me in the front seat of her ship, and she told me I could do anything." Alice glanced round, her face red. "You and Bernie, you do the same thing. No matter what grubby little things I do, you're both so forgiving."
"Well, it was just a toothbrush," said Harriet mildly.
"Will you forget about the damned toothbrush!" shouted Alice. "I'm a thief, Harriet. Don't you understand? How can I be a Peace Force officer when I can't help stealing anything that's not nailed down?"
Harriet nodded. "I do understand, I promise."
"Finally, someone does," muttered Alice. "You don't know this, but the other day, when I went to the hotel to find that guy's stolen wallet … well, it was just down the back of the sofa, and before I gave it back I took half the money."
"Yeah, I know." Harriet shrugged. "The old boy rang the station to complain, so I fed him some story about taking the cash for fingerprints and paid him back with a transfer. Best keep it from Bernie, though."
"You knew all along?"
"Sure. You were spending cash like nobody's business, and we Peace Force types notice clues like that."
"I couldn't help myself, Harriet. I grew up taking what I needed to get by. I'm … I'm not good enough for the Peace Force."
"We all slip up." Harriet punched her on the shoulder. "You'll do fine, Alice. Take my word for it."
"Are you sure?"
"Absolutely. We're people, not robots."
For the first time since they'd left the station, Alice laughed. "You know, I reckon Bernie would swap us for robots in an instant."
"Yeah, good luck with that." Harriet passed her a tissue. "You'd rust."
There was a long silence before either of them spoke again. Alice traced her uncle's memorial plate with one finger, while Harriet came to the realisation that her own self-doubt was something she'd just have to live with.
"Do you think Bernie will have me back?" asked Alice at last.
"Are you kidding? When she hears she's got two trainees again she'll pop a fuse." Harriet stood up. "Come on, let's finish that run. After all the rich food in that hotel on Vasquez, I reckon I put on two kilos."
"It looks more like three," said Alice, and she took off quick before Harriet could punch her, cackling with laughter.
Epilogue
Unidentified flying object spotted in the skies above Dismolle!
Residents in the city have been reporting lights and noises in the skies at night, and we're not talking weather balloons. The Dismolle spaceport confirmed that none of the objects appeared on their radar, which means it's either a mass delusion or something far more sinister.
Are aliens truly among us, as many believe? Or is the Navy conducting tests of a new jet?
Either way, residents are demanding action, and this reporter wishes to add her voice to the clamour. It's about time someone stepped in and put an end to these flyovers, and we've approached the Dismolle Peace Force to insist they make UFOs illegal.
Their reply has yet to be forthcoming, although one officer did claim they were busy investigating a possible serial killer, while another told us the Superintendent would soon be in touch.
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What's next in the Harriet Walsh series?
Harriet Walsh 3: Sierra Bravo
Coming July 2018
Dismolle is supposed to be a peaceful retirement planet. So what's with all the gunfire?
A criminal gang has moved into Chirless, planet Dismolle's second major city. Elderly residents are fed up with all the loud music, noisy cars and late night parties, not to mention hold-ups,
