Chapter 71

Chapter 71

‘What are you going to do about DI Grace?'

Flanked by his police union representative, Dave Reynolds wasted no time in getting straight to the point. Chief Superintendent Holmes had been unwilling to see him, claiming her packed diary schedule wouldn't allow it, but in the end it was he who'd proved unwilling to budge, kicking up such a stink in her office that eventually she was forced to relent. She sat opposite him now, looking distracted and stressed.

‘She's completely lost the plot. There are genuine crimes out there that need investigating, significant threats to public order that require our attention, yet instead Grace seems determined to pursue this unjustified witch hunt.'

‘By any means necessary,' his union rep added pointedly. ‘DI Grace has always treated the rules, well-established protocols, with disdain. I've crossed swords with her many times over the years in this regard. But I must say her behaviour over the last few days has plumbed new depths.'

‘What specifically are you referring to?' Holmes asked testily, annoyed by his prim tone.

‘How about dragging my name through the mud? Hanging me out to dry as … as a bloody sex offender?' Reynolds responded, looking aggrieved and bewildered. ‘But that's only the half of it. Yesterday, she tricked her way into my home on the grounds of pursuing some bogus traffic offence, then quizzed my wife about me, our family, my career history. There was no other officer present, my wife had no representation, but DI Grace doesn't care. She's been running a covert investigation into me, my past conduct, for days now, without any authorization from you or anyone else at this station. It's personal, it's nasty and it's completely out of order. She accuses me of being a law-breaker, yet she's broken every rule in the book.'

‘As you can see, Chief Superintendent,' Reynolds' rep chimed in, ‘a persistent and flagrant disregard for due process.'

‘You have to suspend her immediately,' Reynolds persisted. ‘And if I were you, I'd do the same to DS Brooks. Those two are like peas in a pod, as bad as each other …'

Holmes regarded Reynolds curiously, intrigued by this blatant push to banish fellow officers.

‘I take it then that you're denying there's any truth in her accusations?'

‘Absolutely and categorically,' Reynolds insisted, aggrieved. ‘My record's clean and so is my conscience.'

His representative nodded vigorously, but Holmes ignored him.

‘In which case I can see why you're so troubled, so angry, about recent developments.'

‘Let's call it what it is. A witch hunt,' Reynolds repeated.

‘And in many ways, I share your outrage. Indeed, I had DI Grace in here this morning and during our conversation I let her feel the full weight of my displeasure. I don't like mavericks and DI Grace seems intent on pushing everything to the limit, with scant regard for the consequences, either for individual officers or the reputation of this station.'

Reynolds nodded eagerly, waiting for the coup de grace.

‘However, as things currently stand, I can't possibly sanction suspending the head of our Major Incident Team.'

‘You can't spare her just because of her status, her position. If she's broken the rules, she needs to go,' Reynolds fired back, looking like he might be about to explode.

‘But has she?' Holmes returned, her tone even.

‘I thought we'd just agreed—'

‘DI Grace flatly denied leaking anything to the Evening News and frankly I can't prove that she did. So unless you have evidence to the contrary …?'

‘Well, no,' Reynolds said angrily. ‘But you know as well as I do that she was responsible for the leak.'

‘And as for the incident with your wife, did a traffic offence occur or not?' Holmes asked, ducking the accusation.

‘Well, there was no bulb in the rear brake light,' Reynolds conceded, bristling. ‘But we didn't take it out.'

‘So DI Grace was within her rights to sanction your wife and issue a ticket?'

‘Technically, yes, but she used it as an excuse to enter my home.'

‘Did she force her way in, or was she invited in?'

‘The latter, I guess, but the fact remains that it was just a ruse. A way of gathering information, of playing mind games with us.'

‘None of which can be proved, PC Reynolds. So you see the bind we're in?'

‘Why the hell are you defending her?' Reynolds burst out. ‘She's a dangerous renegade who you should be clamping down on, making a public example of. What's she got on you?'

A frown creased Holmes' expression, but she maintained her cool.

‘Instead of trading insults, can I suggest that we all just get on with doing our jobs. As for DI Grace's investigation of your conduct, well she's obviously at liberty to do so during the execution of her duties. There is no special dispensation for serving officers, as you well know. And if, as you say, there is nothing in her accusations, then hopefully everything will be resolved in a timely fashion to everyone's satisfaction.'

‘And in the meantime, she gets to trash my reputation? A reputation I've spent years building, earning, through solid, dogged, loyal policing …'

‘I understand your anxiety, PC Reynolds, I really do, but she has to be allowed to do her job.'

‘Ah, this is horseshit.'

Reynolds rocked back in his chair, before turning to his representative, exasperated.

‘Come on, let's get out of here.'

Livid, Reynolds rose to his feet, but as he did so, Holmes' voice cut through.

‘I would remind you, constable, to treat senior officers with the respect they deserve. Whatever my feelings about DI Grace's conduct, there is no doubting that her line of enquiry is valid and necessary. You omitted to mention meeting Naomi Watson on the night she went missing and there are grounds for questioning your conduct whilst serving as a police officer, whether or not those questions ultimately prove to be valid. So I would suggest you do your job and allow DI Grace to do hers. Hectoring senior officers, whilst pushing for your colleagues to be suspended, is not the way to win friends round here. Is that understood?'

‘Perfectly,' Reynolds responded, not trusting himself to say more.

‘Then get out of my sight.'

This time there was no mistaking Holmes' anger. Defiant to the last, Reynolds glared at her, before marching away, head held high. But inside, his guts were churning, his brain feverishly trying to process this latest turn of events. It was well known that Holmes and Grace had a difficult relationship and he'd been convinced the station chief would take his side against the rebellious CID officer. But he'd misjudged the situation badly, earning only Holmes' anger in the process. Clearly this most political of station chiefs was determined not to ally herself with anyone , to keep her hands clean and her options open, should a suitable scapegoat be required further down the line. Once more Dave Reynolds felt the ground shifting beneath his feet, old certainties giving way to fresh doubts. Where would it all end? Would he see off this latest challenge? Or had he finally met his match? Only time would tell, but for the first time in years, PC Dave Reynolds felt under pressure, every passer-by viewing him with suspicion, watching and waiting for him to slip up.

The hunter had become the hunted.