not.’
*
Andy Calder read again through the witness statements. He found Kathleen Nevin’s original interview. As she’d claimed, it read like a tick sheet; being made up of a list of one word answers. Calder made a point of noting down the names of the PCs who performed the house-to-house inquiries. He’d find a way to pass them onto Bevan.
Alice had jotted down Kath’s description of the man she saw leaving the Kerrs’ property on the evening they died.
Ideally, they would want to create an E-fit, but use of the software had to be signed off by the officer in charge of the investigation. The neighbour hadn’t given them much to go on anyway. He’d been wrapped up in heavy clothing, a cap obscuring his face.
Calder had already given the Gabbler family a call. The paper boy swore blind it wasn’t him. His mum backed the lad up, saying he was slumped in front of the telly with his tea on a tray by 6.30pm that night. If Andy were still on the case, he’d be putting all of his resources into locating this unidentified man.
A shadow fell across Calder’s desk. He visibly flinched, sliding an arm surreptitiously over the papers in front of him. Andy twisted his neck. ‘Can I help you, sir?’
‘No, Detective Constable. I’m hoping it’s me who can help you.’ DCS Douglas pulled up a seat to join him.
‘Oh, aye?’
‘It’s been three months now since your terrible encounter with the O’Driscolls. But the department counsellor tells me you’re very well recovered?’
‘I’m right as rain, sir.’
‘Good. I’m pleased to hear it. Well done on your role in the Alex Galloway case, by the way. We should get a double conviction on that one.’
Andy nodded an acknowledgement. ‘I was just assisting the DCI, that’s all.’
‘Only it’s come to my attention, whilst reviewing the staff files, that you’ve not put yourself forward for promotion in the last seven years. That’s a long time, DC Calder. These days, it doesn’t sit well on your record to appear to be coasting.’ The man’s face was devoid of expression.
‘I’m happy being a detective. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I like interviewing folk and putting the pieces of an investigation together. The management side has never appealed to me.’
Douglas nodded. ‘I understand. But times have changed. We have young recruits looking to move up through the ranks. There have to be positions freed up for them to fill. It’s the natural progression of things within the force these days. It really isn’t an option to simply stand still.’
Andy inhaled deeply. ‘Look, sir, it isn’t only that. I had a bad health scare a couple of years back and then this incident with the O’Driscolls over the summer. I suppose I haven’t wanted to rush things. I’ve got a young family. It’s important to them that I stay healthy.’
The DCS blinked several times. ‘If it’s a matter of fitness to do the job DC Calder, then you put me in a very difficult position. I need my officers to be in the peak of condition. You may have to rely on one another for your lives. I want you to think very carefully about your position here. If you’re treading water and in your heart of hearts you know that another, more resilient individual could take your place then you should consider it your duty to step down.’ The man rose to his feet, moving away from the desk before Andy could respond.
‘ Jeez ,’ he muttered under his breath, watching his boss walk towards the lift. ‘What the hell just happened there?’
Chapter
*
Andy Calder read again through the witness statements. He found Kathleen Nevin’s original interview. As she’d claimed, it read like a tick sheet; being made up of a list of one word answers. Calder made a point of noting down the names of the PCs who performed the house-to-house inquiries. He’d find a way to pass them onto Bevan.
Alice had jotted down Kath’s description of the man she saw leaving the Kerrs’ property on the evening they died.
Ideally, they would want to create an E-fit, but use of the software had to be signed off by the officer in charge of the investigation. The neighbour hadn’t given them much to go on anyway. He’d been wrapped up in heavy clothing, a cap obscuring his face.
Calder had already given the Gabbler family a call. The paper boy swore blind it wasn’t him. His mum backed the lad up, saying he was slumped in front of the telly with his tea on a tray by 6.30pm that night. If Andy were still on the case, he’d be putting all of his resources into locating this unidentified man.
A shadow fell across Calder’s desk. He visibly flinched, sliding an arm surreptitiously over the papers in front of him. Andy twisted his neck. ‘Can I help you, sir?’
‘No, Detective Constable. I’m hoping it’s me who can help you.’ DCS Douglas pulled up a seat to join him.
‘Oh, aye?’
‘It’s been three months now since your terrible encounter with the O’Driscolls. But the department counsellor tells me you’re very well recovered?’
‘I’m right as rain, sir.’
‘Good. I’m pleased to hear it. Well done on your role in the Alex Galloway case, by the way. We should get a double conviction on that one.’
Andy nodded an acknowledgement. ‘I was just assisting the DCI, that’s all.’
‘Only it’s come to my attention, whilst reviewing the staff files, that you’ve not put yourself forward for promotion in the last seven years. That’s a long time, DC Calder. These days, it doesn’t sit well on your record to appear to be coasting.’ The man’s face was devoid of expression.
‘I’m happy being a detective. It’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I like interviewing folk and putting the pieces of an investigation together. The management side has never appealed to me.’
Douglas nodded. ‘I understand. But times have changed. We have young recruits looking to move up through the ranks. There have to be positions freed up for them to fill. It’s the natural progression of things within the force these days. It really isn’t an option to simply stand still.’
Andy inhaled deeply. ‘Look, sir, it isn’t only that. I had a bad health scare a couple of years back and then this incident with the O’Driscolls over the summer. I suppose I haven’t wanted to rush things. I’ve got a young family. It’s important to them that I stay healthy.’
The DCS blinked several times. ‘If it’s a matter of fitness to do the job DC Calder, then you put me in a very difficult position. I need my officers to be in the peak of condition. You may have to rely on one another for your lives. I want you to think very carefully about your position here. If you’re treading water and in your heart of hearts you know that another, more resilient individual could take your place then you should consider it your duty to step down.’ The man rose to his feet, moving away from the desk before Andy could respond.
‘ Jeez ,’ he muttered under his breath, watching his boss walk towards the lift. ‘What the hell just happened there?’
Chapter
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