Free A Velvet Scream by Priscilla Masters Page B

Wrekin spoke. ‘There are reasons for the rigid rules we have to abide by, Inspector Piercy. Do you accept that?’
    â€˜I do, sir.’
    â€˜You regret your actions?’ Teresa Finney this time.
    Joanna met her eyes. ‘I do, ma’am,’ she said. ‘Bitterly.’
    All four pairs of eyes turned on her and judged her.
    There was silence in the room. Then the chief constable leaned back in his chair and steepled his fingers. ‘Leave us for a moment, Piercy,’ he growled and Joanna knew they were about to decide her future. She wanted to beg that they keep her on. Demote her if necessary but not cut off the lifeblood which was her work.
    Please?
    She sat outside.
    Five minutes passed.
    Then the door was opened and Colclough motioned her to enter. She tried to read his expression but he avoided looking at her. It didn’t look good.
    She followed him back into the room where he took his seat behind the long table on the end of the line.
    The chief constable cleared his throat and spent a minute or two studying her.
    â€˜Piercy,’ he said softly. ‘You’ve been lucky this time.’
    â€˜Sir?’
    He drew in a deep breath. ‘You have a very good work record. Many of your colleagues have spoken up for you. Not least Detective Sergeant Korpanski.’ A hint of softening of his lips before he continued. ‘Unlike his wife.’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    â€˜This time we have decided to be lenient with you.’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    Colclough ventured the tiniest of smiles, which she could not return.
    Taylor continued. ‘You understand that this will remain on your record for five years?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    â€˜And that if there is a further problem you will be suspended or asked to leave the force?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    â€˜We will not tolerate a repeat of this deliberate flouting of our rules.’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    Taylor’s lips softened. ‘I think this time you mean, “no, sir”.’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’ She felt herself smile out of relief.
    â€˜You’re free to go.’ He couldn’t resist one more score. ‘And don’t let me ever see you in a situation like this again.’
    She escaped. And met Barraclough in the corridor. ‘How did it go?’
    â€˜Well,’ she said, ‘I’ve still got a job.’
    He grinned. ‘And I’ve got some news for you.’
    â€˜Barra?’
    â€˜The skirt,’ he said. ‘There’s a palm print on it. And guess what?’
    â€˜Go on?’
    â€˜It’s Steve Shand’s.’
    Whatever she had been expecting, it had not been this. She didn’t even have to ask whether he was sure. Barra was expert at his job. He did not make mistakes. If he said the palm print was Shand’s then Shand’s it was.
    â€˜There’s more.’
    She waited.
    â€˜The toxicology report’s back. She was very drunk. But there’s more still. She’d been slipped a drug.’
    â€˜What drug?’
    â€˜We’re not sure.’ He consulted his printout. ‘It’s a sort of benzodiazepine.’
    She raised her eyebrows.
    â€˜A kind of tranquillizer. She’d have been right out of it.’
    â€˜So someone slipped her something.’ She looked up. ‘Our perp?’
    â€˜Could have been.’ He hesitated. ‘Or she took them herself.’
    She was silent. ‘Something’s ticking away in the back of my mind,’ she said.
    â€˜Like a little time bomb.’ She stopped, tried to focus on what was giving her this uneasy feeling, and failed. ‘I’m going to ring the hospital,’ she said. ‘But first  . . .’
    She made her way back to her office where Korpanski was sitting, staring fixedly into the computer screen. But knowing Mike as she did she didn’t think he was concentrating. She moved behind him and put her hand on his shoulder.