Deadly Fallout (Detective Zoe Finch Book 6) by Rachel McLean

Author:Rachel McLean [McLean, Rachel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ackroyd Publishing
Published: 2021-04-27T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Forty-Eight

Ian watched as Detective Superintendent Randle walked from his seat to the stand. He was composed as ever, wearing a dark blue suit and white shirt with a pale blue tie. His hair was combed back and his face calm.

David Randle was like a goddamn duck. Legs belting away like mad under the surface but calm as a cloud on a spring morning where it could be seen.

Randle took his place and was sworn in. He kept his eyes up as he did so, his face still. He looked the epitome of professionalism.

Ian knew better.

The CPS barrister, Ms Hegarty, was going first. She approached the stand, her movements breezy. It was half past three and Ian knew from yesterday that the jury would be getting restless. They dipped after lunch; he’d even seen one of them nod off yesterday. It had been ten minutes before the foreman had noticed and roused him.

“Detective Superintendent Randle.”

“That’s me.” Randle gave her a pleasant smile.

“Mind if I just call you Superintendent? It’s a bit of a mouthful.”

“Not in the slightest.” The smile didn’t waver.

“Tell the court your connection to the defendant.”

Randle’s eyes travelled over Ian as he spoke. “DS Osman was a member of the Harborne Force CID team from late October last year to February this year. As the Head of Force CID, I was his indirect manager.”

“Do you know how he came to be recruited to Force CID?”

“We had a vacancy. He was recommended to me by the Chief Inspector in charge of the South Birmingham Local Policing Unit.”

“Was there a recruitment process?”

“A recruitment process isn’t necessary for officers to undertake a transfer within the same force and at the same rank.”

“So no, there wasn’t?”

“No.”

“Were there any other officers in line for the role?”

“We’d recently lost a few of our number. DI Finch had been promoted from Sergeant. DI Whaley had completed his stint in the team. It meant some shuffling around at DS level.”

“You mention DI Whaley.”

“He reported to my colleague DCI Clarke.”

“And how long was he on the team?”

“Six months in total.”

“What was DI Whaley’s role in your team?”

“He was SIO on a couple of cases. He—”

“What was his real role?”

Randle pushed his shoulders back. Ian tensed as he watched.

“He was an undercover officer from the Professional Standards Department.”

“Were you aware of this at the time?”

“Not when I was a DCI, no. After my promotion to Superintendent, I was fully briefed.”

“Fully?”

“Yes.” Randle licked his lips. Was that sweat on his brow?

“So why was he placed undercover in Force CID?”

“We were working a major organised crime case, referred to as Canary. His remit, I believe, was to ensure that there were no opportunities for impropriety.”

“So he was spying on you?”

“He was spying on all of us.”

Ian remembered the briefing he’d had from Whaley when he’d been brought onto the team. His job had been to watch Randle, and report back.

Randle frowned at the barrister. “I fail to see what DI Whaley’s role has to do with DS Osman planting evidence.”

The hair on the back of Ian’s neck was bristling, he could feel it.

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