Read Online Prime Suspect (Prime Suspect (Harper)) by Lynda La Plante - Free Book Online Page A

and associate of mine died in this room this afternoon, and I am just on my way to tell his wife and children. Now is not the time . . .”
    “When is the time, sir? Because we don’t have any to spare—if Marlow’s not charged very soon he will have to be released. I am deeply sorry for what happened to John, please don’t insult me by thinking otherwise, but at the same time someone has to—”
    “Please leave now. Don’t tell me my job. I will not be forced into making a decision I will regret at a later date. Please leave my office.”
    Maureen Havers hiccuped through her tears and Tennison put an arm around her shoulders.
    “Do you want to go home, Maureen love? You can if you like, there’s not much to do.”
    Havers wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but he was always so full of life, and only today I heard him laughing, you know that big laugh of his . . . He said . . . he said he’d beaten Paxman’s record!”
    Leaving it that Havers could go home if she felt like it, Tennison left for court.
    Superintendent Kernan called a two o’clock meeting with Commander Geoff Trayner to discuss the situation, particularly Tennison’s request to take over the Marlow case. Neither man liked the idea, even though the file on the desk proved she was fully qualified and her exboss in the Flying Squad had given her a glowing recommendation.
    Tennison had been with the Flying Squad for five years, and had taken a lot of flak from the men. Unlike two of her female colleagues in a similar position she had stayed her course. Her report noted that she had been offered a position training female officers because of her previous experience working with rape victims and her instigation of many changes which had been adopted by rape centers all over the country. She had turned the offer down, not wishing to go back into uniform, and had subsequently been transferred to AMIT. She was, as they were well aware, the only female DCI attached to a murder squad; with someone of her record it would be very difficult to bring someone in from outside to take over.
    Kernan drummed his fingers on the desk. “The men won’t like it, you know that, but as far as I can see we don’t really have a choice. There’s no one free on AMIT except her. I’ve checked locally, and of the usuals I know Finley’s in Huddersfield, Smith and Kelvin are still tied up on that shooting last week in Shepherd’s Bush . . . And she’s got a mouth on her, I don’t want her creating a stink. She as good as threatened to resign if she was overlooked again.”
    “She’s one of these bloody feminists, I don’t want any flak from that angle. We’ll give her a trial run, see what happens, but if she puts a foot out of line we’ll have her transferred and get her out of our hair. Agreed?”
    Kernan nodded and slapped Tennison’s file closed. “I’ll get her in to see you, and I’ll break it to the men.” He pressed a button on his intercom and requested Tennison’s immediate presence.
    “DCI Tennison’s in court today, sir,” his secretary replied.
    “Hell, I’d forgotten . . . Let everyone know I want her the moment she comes in.”
    Jane Tennison was lucky for once. The jury was out by two-fifteen and she was away. Still upset by John Shefford’s death, she drove straight to the building site where Peter was working.
    Peter was in his hut, talking to one of his workmen. Jane held herself rigid and waited until the man was gone, then rushed to Peter and sobbed her heart out.
    It was a while before she was calm enough to make much sense, but he eventually pieced the events of the day together. He put his arms around her; it felt so good to have him to come to that she started crying all over again.
    “You know, from everything you’ve said, this Shefford was well-liked, it must be a shock to everyone. Perhaps you should have given it a few days.”
    He bent to kiss her cheek, but she turned away. “You don’t