Find Them Dead

23 Friday 3 May

‘You look tired, Roy. Are you OK?’ Alison Vosper asked.

They were in a booth of a hotel on the Embankment, close to New Scotland Yard.

‘I’m good, ma’am,’ he said, grateful for the strong but bad coffee that had been poured into his cup. He sliced open a poached egg, the yolk running across the toast and avocado. ‘Just sad about the stabbing victim I saw earlier.’

The Deputy Assistant Commissioner of the Met shrugged. ‘I know how well you’ve picked up on the fact there are huge cultural differences between communities. Not all our officers get it, but you do. I’m really impressed with what you’ve achieved in your short time with us — and it hasn’t escaped the attention of my boss and the Home Office. You’ve done what I thought was impossible when I took on this role.’

He smiled. ‘What is it they say, ma’am? The impossible we do immediately, miracles take a little longer?’

She reached across the table and gave his right hand a supportive pat. There had been moments, back in the time when she was his ACC in Sussex, when — despite her sweet and sour approach — he’d seen her with her guard down and sensed her affection for him. He was sensing the same thing now. She withdrew her hand and dug a fork into her scrambled eggs but maintained eye contact with him for some moments.

‘You’ve established stronger community links. You’ve done great work in education, outreach, youth services. And your stick-and-carrot campaign has gained strong support. I like your work on the minimum three-year sentence for first conviction for anyone carrying a knife, and your “three strikes and you’re out” initiative.’

‘Thank you, ma’am.’

She locked eyes with him again. ‘You have an opportunity here to make a real difference. Are you sure you don’t want to stay and at least see some of this through?’

He ate a mouthful of egg, toast and avocado, using the time to compose his reply. ‘The Met response from a murder point of view is excellent. I feel I’ve done my bit, adding my SIO head. Everyone here knows what they have to do, but my family needs me home — and there’s a lot of work to be done in Sussex.’

She stared back at him.

‘You and I make a great team. Stay in London, Roy, and I’ll give you a Commander’s job, crime-related so you can still do the things you love. I’m going to be around for a long while — this offer doesn’t have a shelf-life.’

‘That’s very generous of you, ma’am.’

‘I’m serious. If you want to leave Sussex at any time, ring me. You have my personal number. My offer isn’t going to go away, I’d give you a job as a Commander tomorrow.’