05 The Stolen Boys by Joy Ellis

Author:Joy Ellis
Language: eng
Format: azw3, epub
ISBN: 9781789312805
Publisher: Joffe Books
Published: 2020-04-14T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER NINETEEN

The murder room was packed with officers but unnaturally quiet.

Marie watched Jackman, in order to avoid looking at the new officer — DS Vic Blackwell — but also because Jackman seemed so different.

She looked closer. She wasn’t mistaken. She was looking at the old Jackman. His back was straighter, his face alive. Then it dawned on Marie. She drew in a long breath. Laura Archer! It had to be! They were the perfect couple, and if they could just get a handle on how to manage their respective workloads, Marie could see a very satisfactory relationship evolving.

Jackman began the meeting. Yes, even his voice was stronger and more assertive. Marie wondered what the others would make of this sudden transformation. Knowing most of the coppers in the room, they’d probably just think he got lucky the night before.

‘Okay. First off, I’ve spoken to the hospital this morning, and Charlie Button should be allowed home later today, as long as there’s no deterioration in his lung function.’

There was a general murmur of relief.

‘But he’s by no means fit for duty, so he’ll be off for a while, and we’ll need to pick up anything still on his desk.’ He looked up. ‘Gary? Will you deal with that please?’

Gary Pritchard nodded. ‘Got it, boss.’

‘Next, please welcome DS Vic Blackwell to Saltern. He’ll be working with DI Jenny Deane on the steroids investigation, as well as other general duties.’ He nodded coldly to Blackwell. A few of the newer officers, who knew nothing about Vic Blackwell’s past, gave him a smile or a short greeting.

Impassive, and without speaking, Blackwell gave a stiff bow.

‘Now, about the steroids. I’ll hand over to DI Deane to fill you all in on the progress so far. Then before we get bogged down in the Hybird thefts, she and her team might like to go and press on.’ He stood aside for Jenny Deane.

While Jenny was speaking, Marie focused her attention on Jackman. She’d been hoping this would happen for so long. She just prayed that it was going to last this time, even if just for the team. They needed Jackman working at full throttle again. They were lost without his confidence and his sharp mind. His new attitude would give them all a boost, even her. Jackman couldn’t make Blackwell go away, but he was clearly trying to cut down any contact between them to a minimum. She couldn’t really ask for more than that. She sneaked a glance at Blackwell, and saw him looking intently at his new DI. She fervently hoped they could keep it that way.

Jackman was back again. ‘Before we split up, two things. As you all know, we’re going to be helping Fenchester with the Alistair Ashcroft investigation. This has been temporarily put on hold until we’ve tied up our present cases, but, and this is a big but, we are still following Fenchester’s progress reports closely. As soon as the Hybird thefts have been sewn up, we’ll be launching a major drive to find Alistair Ashcroft, or at least what happened to him.

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