AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Hello, sir.” Lacey straightened her shoulders and looked Charles right in the eye.
“Nice to meet you.” Charles continued to shake her hand contemplatively. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“You have?” Lacey’s face blanched.
“Yes. And I was wondering if you might have a few spare moments to pop into my office for a chat?”
“Oh, ah, of course, sir.”
“Good. Good.” Charles glanced at Nico over the rims of his glasses, but his face was unreadable. “Follow me,” he directed.
Lacey cast him a look of concern before she followed the chief into his office. Nico stared at the closed door. What the hell was Charles playing at?
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
LACEY STIRRED AND got to her feet. She’d almost fallen asleep in the comfortable wing chair by the fire. Smudge was lying on the rug in front of the hearth, fast asleep, his little feet twitching in some doggy dream. She needed to look at the chicken tagine, which was simmering on the stove, the enticing smell making Lacey’s stomach rumble.
After checking on dinner, she went to stand and stare out the kitchen window. It was becoming one of her favorite places, where she could look out into the backyard and contemplate the vista, watching the ever-changing weather. It was just coming on dusk. The wind had almost blown itself out now, but dark clouds had settled over the horizon, blocking out any sign of a sunset. The candlelit vigil for Rania was due to start soon. She ruminated on how it might go and how many people might attend.
Without her summoning the thought, her mind returned to the police station this afternoon. Chief Inspector Shadbolt was an interesting man. A little intimidating, but that was to be expected. You didn’t become chief of a large police station like Burnie without stepping on some toes. Bald as a badger, wearing wire-rimmed glasses, the chief was slightly overweight, but with his height, he carried the extra pounds well. He had an almost kindly face and reminded her a little of Patrick Stewart, the actor who played Jean Luc Picard from thatStar Trekmovie. But there was an extra sharp edge to Charles. A don’t-fuck-with-me edge. Lacey remembered her commander, Anthony Blaxland, back in Melbourne had that same hard edge.
The look on Nico’s face as Charles had led her into his office had been priceless. Filled with apology as well as uncertainty, as if he wasn’t sure he should allow his boss to lead her like a lamb to the slaughter but also knowing there was nothing he could do to stop it. It’d been accompanied by a sharp flash of curiosity. What did the chief inspector want with her? A question close to her own heart. What could the Burnie police chief possibly want?
She’d sat in the chair he indicated and tried not to quake in her boots, waiting for him to speak first, while he sat slowly behind his desk. After adjusting his glasses and then looking down his nose at her over the rims, he said, “Detective Sergeant Favreau told me some interesting facts about you today.”
Lacey flinched inwardly but kept her face blank. The chief wouldn’t be doing his job properly if he didn’t take an interest in everyone involved in a murder scene. So he knew she’d been a cop and was now on leave without pay. Probably never to return to the force. And that thought filled her with a wave of shame. Shame that this intimidating man knew she’d failed at being a cop. At some deep level, that hurt. She hated to fail at anything. That was probably her mother’s influence. It was very hard to keep her mother’s voice out of her head, especially in those weeks and months after Cindi. Telling her to get over it, to get back on the horse and ride like the wind because that’s what the Carmichaels did. They never gave up. Where would her father have ended up if he’d given up at the first hurdle? He surely wouldn’t be a multi-millionaire. And she wouldn’t be living in the lap of luxury if her father had given up either.
“I hear you did everything in your power to try and save that poor girl, Rania. And I want to personally thank you for that,” Shadbolt continued, and Lacey banished her mother’s voice from her head.
“I was just doing what anyone else in my position would’ve done, sir.”
He shook his head. “That’s not strictly true. Margie was there, and she was running around wringing her hands and doing nothing useful, by all accounts.”
“Yes, but—”
Charles held up his hand and she bit off her retort.
“Learn to take praise where it’s given.” He tilted his head to one side and considered her. “You did a good thing. You need to accept that.”
“Yes, sir,” she said, trying not to sound unconvincing.
“I’ve also looked into your previous employment records.” This time Lacey couldn’t keep her grimace hidden. She sat a little straighter in her chair, bracing for the worst. “It seems you were a good young constable, with lots of potential.” He studied her closely, and she wondered where he was going with his comments. This wasn’t what she’d been expecting at all. “I’ve talked to your previous commander, and he agreed that if you left the police force completely it’d be a loss for us all.”
“Oh?” She was clueless as to what to say next. Her ex-boss had said something similar to her, but she’d let the words wash over her, not being in the correct headspace to hear them. She’d never thought of herself as a good cop. That first year in the force had been a baptism of fire, and she’d thought she was doing well just to keep her head above water. She also didn’t think she’d been on the beat long enough to prove what sort of cop she was going to be, but perhaps she’d underestimated herself. Perhaps her commander had seen something that she hadn’t.
“I understand you went through something horrific, and everyone deals with those traumatic events differently. But if you ever feel like you’d like to rejoin the force…” He was still staring at her with that unwavering gaze. “Well, this station is growing, believe it or not. Crime is increasing in the area, which may not be a good thing, but at least the powers above have deemed we need more staff to handle the load. We’re about to recruit two more constables. I was wondering if you might be interested in one of the positions?” He held up his hand as she opened her mouth to reply. “Don’t say anything yet. Just take some time to think about it, okay?”
This was the last thing she’d expected when she’d traveled to this little town. A job offer. Could she really work here? With Shadbolt as her boss? Would she ever be strong enough to go back to the police force? Become the person she’d always dreamed she could be?
“Ah… Thank you, sir.” She stood and shuffled her feet nervously. “I will… Think about it, I mean.”
“Good.” Shadbolt gave her a warm smile, the first she’d seen from him, and then reached for a pile of papers on his desk, effectively dismissing her.
Closing the door behind her, she walked down the hallway in a daze. This was the most unexpected thing. Nico appeared in his doorway, an inquiring lift to his mouth, and she’d mumbled that she’d tell him all about it when he got home that night. He’d handed her two boxes, and she’d driven home in his Jeep, her mind only half on the road.
And even now, three hours later, she was no closer to an answer. Should she tell Nico about the offer? He might convince her to stay. Or, he might try and talk her out of it. And she wasn’t sure which option she dreaded more.
Her gaze fell on the shed at the edge of the driveway. Shit. She’d forgotten to bring in those boxes Nico had given her from the Jeep. Better get them now, while there was still a hint of light in the sky. Most of the garden was already in shadow, the anemic light from the setting sun barely reaching the roof of the house now. Soon, the place would be plunged into desolate darkness. At least she had the fire well alight. Smudge was still dreaming on his mat by the fire, so Lacey decided to leave him there; they’d already had a long walk down by the beach this afternoon.
