He was glad he had, because an intervention between Alice and her team was necessary. Taking a moment to consider the best way of addressing the situation without getting his own head blown off, Gus watched as she flung herself onto her seat, gripped the desk to pull herself closer to her computer and glowered. Talk about the lion’s den. Taking a tentative step towards her, Gus stopped when her scalding gaze met his. Aiming for a light-hearted commentary, he splayed his hands in front of him while simultaneously ducking his head. ‘Don’t shoot me, I’m only the messenger.’
Alice’s scowl deepened and Gus realised that humour wasn’t going to work. With a heavy sigh, he moved round to her side of the desk, grabbing a chair as he did so. Straddling the chair, resting his arms along the backrest, Gus looked at her. ‘You’re getting stressed and it’s affecting the team, Al.’
A second earlier he wouldn’t have thought it possible that her scowl could deepen, but right then it did, and Gus winced in response. ‘OK, OK, OK – Just hear me out. This is a big case – one of the biggest we’ve ever had – and you’ve been thrust into the SIO role. It’s a lot.’ He grinned and winked at her. ‘Even for a firebrand like you. But you’re not doing yourself any favours by terrorising Taffy and Compo. They’re your allies and they’re doing their best.’
Alice snorted. ‘There speaks Mr I’m So Approachable McGuire.’
Grinning, Gus shook his head. ‘They’re used to me being a grumpy bastard, Al. They’re not used to that from you. You’re the gel that holds the team together, but right now, every sharp look, or disappointed sigh you give, only serves to melt that gel just a little bit more.’
‘Who knew you were a poet, Gus?’
‘I have many skills’ – he paused – ‘and so do you and your biggest one is the empathy and humour that has seen this team through the toughest times – so get your act together, Cooper, and lead your team.’
Alice threw a pen across the desk. ‘You know you’re a real dick when you’re right.’
‘Yes, that’s true – but the important part is that I am right.’
Getting to her feet, Alice walked to the front of the room clapping her hands to attract her team’s attention. Watching from the side, Gus’s grin widened when he saw the panicked glances exchanged between Taffy and Compo. Poor buggers look like they’re facing the firing line.
‘I’ve been an arse, guys.’ Alice waited for some sort of denial but when none was forthcoming, a rueful grin spread across her face and she shrugged. ‘You’re all doing a great job. We’re working the leads but getting nowhere fast and I’m frustrated as I’m sure you are.’
Compo raised a tentative hand in the air. ‘Some of the lab results have come back – I’ve sent them to the main file, but I can summarise – that is, erm, if you’d like, boss.’
While Compo spoke, his gaze kept slipping in Gus’s direction. Gus shook his head slightly hoping that Comps would get the message. Don’t look at me, I’m not your boss on this one. However, it seemed Compo misinterpreted Gus’s gesture and began stammering and ducking back down to sit behind the bank of computers that served as his hidey hole. ‘You can read – yes, I know that, Alice, I mean DS, I mean…’ And all the while, Comp’s furtive glances towards Gus became more and more obvious.
Gus’s entire body tensed, waiting for the avalanche of annoyance that he could see developing in Alice’s tightened lips and tense shoulders. This was not going to be good.
Alice took a step towards the computer geek, inhaled a deep breath…
Here it comes!
‘I know this is a difficult situation for all of you. Gus is your boss and we can’t really escape that fact, but, on this case – purely because of his proximity to one of our key witnesses, I’ve replaced Gus as SIO.’
Well done, Al! Gus was relieved to hear her sounding so calm. Maybe she’d be able to pull this off – after all, she was Alice Cooper – humorous, dedicated, a team player, and ferocious – she knew how to work her colleagues – how to play to their strengths.
‘This means that…’ Alice’s gaze hardened, she looked round the room first at Gus then at Compo and finally at Taffy who failed abysmally to make himself disappear into the woodwork.
Ooops, not going too well now.
‘I give the orders – Gus is here as a courtesy only. He does not make decisions. He is not your boss – got it?’
Everyone nodded, then Carlton, seemingly alerted by the electricity zapping round the room, looked up. ‘Everything OK, folks? I want to chat to you about the killer.’
Eyes rolling, Alice tutted. ‘You’ll have to wait. Compo’s got lab results he wants to share.’
Gesturing to Compo to take her place at the front of the room, Alice slid back into her seat, next to Gus.
‘Not
