Sergeant Harris deliberately dropped the tea. It hit the floor and splashed upwards. O’Duncie jumped up, dropping his breakfast of sausage, egg and fried bread. He started to shout abuse but Harris just slammed the cell door shut, pulled the metal wicket up and remarked that O’Duncie was a piece of shit.
Jane forced herself to be polite saying ‘Good morning’ and asking if, when he’d finished what he was doing, he’d be kind enough to open up the property store for her.
‘I heard A10 were crawling all over the station yesterday giving Bradfield and Gibbs a hard time, thanks to that piece of garbage in there.’
‘I don’t know anything about it,’ Jane replied rather unconvincingly as she always felt nervous in Harris’s presence.
‘Yeah right, well, I also heard they were looking for some paperwork of yours that seems to have mysteriously disappeared,’ he said, holding his hands up and making sarcastic inverted-comma signs.
Jane remembered the last entry she’d written was ‘Running total so far cash only £1,687’, which she’d timed and dated, and wondered if Harris had seen it himself. She couldn’t believe he’d be that spiteful, to stoop so low as to dispose of her paperwork just to get her in trouble, but the reality was she had no evidence as to who’d taken it.
‘Sarge, did you make out a property-store receipt for the money?’
‘Of course I did, I even counted it all for you, apart from the bag of coins, that is. There was nearly four grand, or was it nearer three, I can’t quite remember,’ he said with a cynical grin.
‘Where’s the receipt now?’ she asked, wondering if he might actually have used the opportunity to steal some of the money when he counted it.
‘I gave it to you, just before you went off duty. Don’t tell me you’ve lost that as well?’ he said in mock surprise.
Her anger rising, she stood her ground. ‘No you didn’t!’
He pointed to the three stripes on the side of his uniform jacket. ‘A mere probationer’s word against a supervising officer’s? Sounds to me like you really screwed up.’
Jane had had enough of his arrogant attitude. ‘Really, well, A10 are all over this because of you.’
He made out as if he was shaking. ‘Oh I’m really scared, Tennison. I did my job by the book, there’s nothing on me.’
‘You forgot to tell the night-shift sergeant O’Duncie was not allowed to make phone calls. He rang a crooked solicitor and started making outrageous allegations, none of which are true, but it’s got DCI Bradfield in trouble and Gibbs suspended so they are really furious. I’d say that’s two senior officers who are gunning for you. Who do you think they’ll believe about the missing paperwork and receipt, ME or you, Sergeant Harris?’
He glared at her and, lost for something to say, stormed off.
Jane was shaking with nerves but pleased that she’d finally stood her ground against Harris. Her good mood faded, though, when she realized she still didn’t know if the money was currently in the property safe. She went to the canteen and there were a few uniform constables and detectives having their breakfast. Seeing Kath carrying a tray to a table she went over and sat opposite her.
Kath looked round to make sure no one was listening. ‘Oh my God, Jane, it was all shit’s hit the fan here yesterday. O’Duncie made some serious allegations, don’t know exactly what about, but the rubber heelers were here nosing around asking questions. I heard poor Spence is suspended while they investigate the complaint.’
‘He is and I feel partly responsible.’
‘What’s going on, Jane?’
‘I’m in a bit of trouble. I didn’t complete the list of all the banknote serial numbers or check exactly how much money was there. I left it in my desk drawer and now it’s gone.’
‘What? You left the money in a drawer and now it’s been effing nicked!’ Kath exclaimed in a whispered voice.
‘No. Sergeant Harris put the money in the property-store safe. The list was in the drawer but…’ She hesitated.
‘Go on, but what?’
‘I’ve no proof, but I think Harris took the list and kept the property receipt to get me in trouble.’
‘God, that man’s a prick. Don’t get your knickers in a twist – just get the money out and I’ll help you to count and check it all again.’
‘I intended to but Harris won’t open the store for me and it’s closed at the moment,’ Jane said, adding that it was possible A10 had seized the money, but she wasn’t sure.
Kath ate fast, waving her fork around as she acknowledged a few officers. She told Jane that the large overweight PC in the corner having the ‘Full English’, with extra sausage, bacon and fried bread, was the property-store officer and he’d know if A10 had taken the money. If they hadn’t she’d see if she could persuade him to open up a bit early, but there was no point asking until he’d finished everything on his plate.
Jane contemplated telling Kath about Bradfield coming to her home, but thought it best not to as she’d probably ask a load of questions or think there was some sort of conspiracy going on.
Kath scraped her plate clean and wiped her toast around it.
