‘If there was anyone in there…?’
He puffed out his cheeks as he shook his head. ‘They didn’t stand a chance.’
‘Okay. We’re going to get off in a minute. Get some sleep before we’re needed again. PC Walker has everything under control by the look of things, but I’m about to relieve him and leave you a scene guard who will keep an eye on things until SOCO can gain entry into the building. Until then, we’ll know nothing.’
‘You take advantage of the opportunity to sleep. It may not come around too quickly again if this proves to be as big a job as we think. Me, I’m here for another two hours, then we’ll have another crew relieve us. It’s been a long night.’ Eyes bleak, they met hers. ‘This is a hard one.’
He reached out and cupped the top of the little dog’s head in the palm of his hand, taking comfort from the living.
All jobs were challenging, but some hit home harder than others, especially those where children were involved..
Jenna’s fingers bumped Charlie’s as she dipped her hand into the front of her jacket to smooth the dog’s fluffy ears. ‘What do you want me to do with this one?’
Charlie held out both hands and wiggled his fingers in an invitation for her to hand the chihuahua back.
Jenna fished inside her coat and lifted the dog out. The tiny body quivered all over with powerful shudders enough to shake its tiny frame apart. The dog’s pitiful whimpers grabbed her heart and squeezed. She nestled it back in and shook her head at Charlie. ‘Ah, poor baby. She’s too scared.’
His lips kicked up in a wry smile. ‘We couldn’t get hold of the dog warden. He’s not picking up. You want to take care of her?’
She flicked a quick glance at Mason to catch the eye-roll. It didn’t matter, a little princess like this needed cosseting in the bosom of a loved one, not putting in a holding cell until someone claimed her. Her gaze met Charlie’s spry one. She’d been conned. Definitely. It wouldn’t have mattered. She wasn’t about to let the little sweetheart go.
Jenna gave the dog’s head a gentle scratch as she snuggled back in, the shudders coming in little waves. ‘See you tomorrow, Charlie.’
‘Yeah, see you tomorrow, Jenna.’
Weary, Jenna dragged her feet as she made her way through the outer cordon. She scanned the area for a uniformed police officer to assign as scene guard. Her heart sank as she spotted PC Lee Gardner. ‘Shit.’ Her breath puffed out on a sigh. ‘Why does it have to be him?’ She’d been obliged to put in a complaint against him a few months previously when she’d suspected him of passing on information to Kim Stafford. Despite internal investigations, nothing had come of her complaint. No evidence had been produced. The only accusation he had faced was from Detective Inspector Taylor for insubordination. He held a grudge and she preferred not to deal with him. On this occasion she didn’t have a choice in the matter.
Mason shoulder bumped her. ‘Oh great. Of all the uniforms, we have to get the wassock.’
She hesitated to join the officer as he stood alone with his back to them looking out over the messy scattering of vehicles that had pulled up. Hands on hips, he surveyed the scene as though he owned it, but he hadn’t made a move to contain it.
Mason leaned in close and lowered his voice. ‘I didn’t know he was back.’
Jenna let out a disgusted snort. ‘Yeah. I heard he took a couple of weeks’ holiday after his disciplinary hearing and then tagged some sick leave on, citing stress. He only bloody had his wrists slapped. Disciplined.’ She rubbed her hands together to chase the chill away, then slipped one back into the top of her jacket to calm the dog as her panic escalated as soon as Jenna had removed her hand. ‘His insubordination is registered on his record, but back to duty. I don’t think internal enquiries took the incident as seriously as we did. They certainly claimed they couldn’t find any proof that he’d leaked information to our local friendly journalist.’
‘What about the family connection?’
‘No proof he actually contacted his brother-in-law and told him anything.’
‘Wanker.’
She barked out a laugh and, with no other obvious choice in the matter as the other PCs in the vicinity all appeared to be occupied, she headed towards Lee Gardner.
‘PC Gardner.’
The slow turn and flat look he raked over her told her he’d been aware of her presence at least since they arrived back from the Crawfords’ house. She’d not even noticed him.
‘PC Gardner,’ she repeated before he could turn away and pretend not to have heard her. His attitude didn’t bode well for the future, but it wasn’t her concern. He wasn’t one of hers and normally she’d not need to deal with him.
On this occasion, she needed him to carry out his job and for that to happen, she had to not only remain the commanding officer, but also, it appeared, the adult. She summoned up a smile, but from his response, she suspected it looked as tight as it felt. ‘I need to appoint a scene guard.’
‘And…?’ If he could have got away with folding his arms over his chest, she was convinced he would have. For the time being, though, it appeared he was only on the cusp of his next foray into insubordination.
Jenna lowered her chin and gave him her mother’s look. It had always worked for her on Fliss. It was a command. Eyes flat and a superior lift of the left eyebrow. It got Mason every time, not to mention DC Ryan Downey. Whether PC Gardner would be influenced was yet to be seen. ‘You’ll be delighted to hear I’ve elected you, PC Gardner.’ She gave him a chance. Waited a beat. ‘Would you mind complying, or would you prefer me to go via your inspector?’
He cricked his head to one side, a jerky move. ‘You might want to find someone else, I’m only on until 10.00 a.m.’
‘Excellent, that gives us a good few hours.’ With a decisive clap of her hands, Jenna took a step back and then pressed her hand against the top of the dog’s head to stop it leaping out of the top of her jacket in fright. ‘I’ll arrange to have someone take over by then.’ She raised a hand in salute and took another step back, then another as the man continued his hard stare in response to her own.
As she reversed into Mason, he leaned in. ‘Please don’t prostate yourself on the floor, it’s embarrassing enough as it is, Sarge.’
Jenna whipped around to face him but didn’t have the control to shoot him her mother’s look. PC Gardner had managed to rattle her again. Instead, she drew in a breath and sailed past Mason to the police vehicle.
Mason followed. ‘I wish they’d send him to another division. Honest to God, every time I see him, I want to punch him.’
‘You want to punch most people.’ As they approached the car, Jenna shoulder-bumped Mason. ‘You drive, I’m otherwise occupied.’ She stroked the top of the tiny dog’s silky head and peered down into the top of her coat as it quivered in response to her attention. Poor thing.
Still seething, Mason grabbed the door handle and yanked it open harder than necessary. He was in the car, buckled up, before Jenna had rounded the bonnet.
As she slipped inside, she cast him a sideways glance. ‘It’s best to ignore him.’