‘They’re for reference.’
‘Smelly old suitcases full of outmoded laboratory instruments, endless unlabelled bottles of chemicals for which I only have your word that they’re safe—’
‘I think you’ll find I never promised that.’
‘Half the stuff in the evidence room isn’t ours, and I’ve no idea where you got it from—’
‘I can’t remember why I borrowed safe-cracking equipment, if that’s what you mean, or what I used it on, but I promise to return it when I do. There’s plenty of room for us all here. So that’s settled.’ Bryant gave what he hoped was a pleasing grin, revealing his patently false teeth to an alarming degree, then left the room.
Land dug in his drawer for one of the miniature bottles of Glenfiddich he kept there and was about to down it when the door flew open again. ‘Forgot to mention we’ve a suspicious death coming in, woman in her forties found in Bloomsbury last night. I say it’s our case – what I mean is I want us to handle it because I saw her alive. We’ve nothing urgent pending at the moment, have we?’
‘You can’t just decide to take the case any more, Bryant, you need to talk to Renfield about it. What do you mean, you saw her alive?’
‘Haven’t bumped into Renfield yet – running late on his first day, not a very impressive start, is it? John and I will get off to the morgue, then. You can tell him for us, can’t you? And if you’re going to start drinking that stuff first thing in the morning, I reserve the right to continue smoking my Old Sailor’s Full-Strength Rough-Cut Navy Shag in the office, just so you know. Pip pip.’
The slam of the door was Land’s cue to snap off the cap of his miniature and down it neat.
‘Well, well.’ Detective Sergeant Jack Renfield leaned against the door-jamb, studying his opposite number. ‘I never thought we’d end up working together, did you?’
‘It doesn’t matter what I think,’ said Janice Longbright. ‘The decision has been made elsewhere and I have to make the best of it.’
‘I don’t suppose it’s occurred to you that I’m not too happy about the situation, either? I enjoyed being at Albany Street nick. All my mates are there. Blokes I grew up with, some I even went to school with. I’ve never pretended to be an intellectual. The only college I ever attended was the police college in Hendon. I know you think I’m common. I sound common, I drop my aitches, I haven’t got the further education that you lot have got. And yet I’ve been brought in here on an equal footing with you, so what am I doing right?’
‘You were useful to the boys upstairs, that’s all.’
‘I’m a copper, not a politician or an academic. I’ve spent most of my working life dragging nonces off the street and locking them up until someone smarter tells me to let them go. But I know what the law stands for, where it begins and where it ends, and I make sure nobody on my shift oversteps the line. Raymond Land is like me, he came up the hard way. I’m not going to report to him behind your back, Longbright. I’m not out to grass anyone up, OK?’
‘Then what are you here for?’
‘I’m just planning to do my job and obey the rules, and make sure everyone else does the same. If you or your bosses step out of line, that places you on the outside, with the criminals. You can think what you like about me, love, it isn’t going to make any difference.’
He pushed himself away from the door and headed out into the corridor. Longbright continued clearing her desk, but found herself shaking with anger. Renfield knew how to get under her skin.
‘Hi, Janice. You look like you lost a shilling and found sixpence. What’s the matter?’
Longbright looked up and found May in the doorway. She was always pleased to see him. ‘Oh, nothing, John, I’m fine.’
‘If you say so, but I heard what Renfield said.’ May buttoned his jacket. ‘Don’t let the new boy get you down. If Land asks where I’ve gone, let him know that I’m checking out a possible murder victim, and no, I didn’t get permission from Renfield first.’
‘He’s already given me a warning about proper behaviour.’
‘He’s not a bad sort, just a bit abrasive. He stopped me from getting beaten up by a street gang not so long ago. He’s a good man to have on the ground.’
‘It’s not just Renfield, it’s – ’ She stopped and thought for a moment. ‘Maybe I’ve been here too long. I have no life, John. I don’t know who I am any more. Perhaps I have to stop dressing like this, looking like this.’ DS Longbright certainly had a style of her own, mostly modelled on movie stars of the past. She was a fulsomely sexy woman and the look suited her, although it was somewhat inappropriate for her job. ‘You know, my make-up never gets any older, but underneath it I do. Sometimes I take it off at night, and have to stop and ask myself if there’s still somebody there. All I ever do is work. I don’t exist outside the office. Does anyone even notice me?’