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ONE
By Kim’s count, that robin had landed on the windowsill outside eleven times.
For all she knew, it was a different robin every time, but the result was still the same. He landed, bobbed his head, looked inside and then flew away. She didn’t blame him. If she could be outside pecking the windowsill for insects right now, she would be.
‘Don’t you agree, DI Stone?’
The rhetorical question had come from the chief superintendent at the head of the table, and it was a trick. The query had been posed like a schoolteacher challenging a daydreaming pupil.
No, she probably didn’t agree, but she did pull her attention back to the proceedings. A meeting that should have been attended by her boss, DCI Woodward, who had been struck by a stomach bug in the early hours of the morning. Pity the same one hadn’t rendered her incapable as well. Any speculation about the truthfulness of Woody’s illness would remain firmly in her head.
Present were representatives of every department at Halesowen Station: Lydia Knight from the press comms office, Inspector Plant for the uniforms, Warren Marwood from the control room, Betty from the canteen, Martin Hobbs from community liaison and the chief super who ruled all the land.
From the corner of her eye, she saw the robin land and fly away again.
Yeah, still nothing to see here, buddy, she thought.
‘I’ve taken the liberty of drawing up a shortlist of three potential projects,’ Martin said, passing round a piece of paper to each person. Really, they couldn’t process three pieces of information?
It had been decided that Halesowen could be doing more to connect with the local community over and above the force-wide initiatives.
The chief super nodded approvingly at the list. A quick glance across the table told her that Inspector Plant was feeling the exact same way she was, and they both had a million other things they should be doing.
‘The first contender,’ Martin continued, ‘and possibly my favourite, is Three Oaks Primary School. A portion of their playground has become overgrown with weeds and brambles. The area needs clearing to make space for a vegetable garden and a mini nature reserve.’
Everyone nodded enthusiastically. Martin talked through the other two options, but the favourite was clear, and neither of the others achieved the same level of eagerness.
Okay, that had been easy enough, Kim thought. A decision had been made and she’d been able to follow Woody’s directive of ‘don’t speak’. That part of his text message had been in capitals. Both he and her working partner, Bryant, would be very proud. She also wanted to win the wager Bryant had offered that she couldn’t complete the meeting without offending someone.
She was silently considering how to spend her £5 winnings when the chief super spoke again.
‘That’s decided then. We’ll meet again on Wednesday to discuss the details.’
The eye roll she aimed at Inspector Plant was an involuntary movement. And it wasn’t like actual words came out of her mouth so the fiver was still hers.
‘What was that, Stone?’
Don’t speak.
She shook her head to indicate she hadn’t said anything.
‘That look you sent across the table. What was it?’
Every pair of eyes was on her, silently thankful that the attention wasn’t being aimed at them.
Don’t speak, she repeated in her mind.You are not going to trip me up now. I have a lot riding on my ability to remain silent.
‘Please share your thoughts,’ the chief super persisted with a stubborn set to his mouth.
Don’t speak. No. No. No. No. No.
‘You don’t think it’s a positive thing to engage with the local community?’
‘Of course I do, sir,’ she said, unable to hold her tongue and feeling the £5-pound note slip from her hand. ‘Give me a date and time and I’ll be there with my shears. But that’s not how it works. There’ll be planning meetings, risk assessments, equipment training and briefings amassing countless work hours that I’m pretty sure Three Oaks School would rather we spent trying to find the little shits that broke in last week and stole their four computers. Sir,’ she added as Inspector Plant glanced at his vibrating phone on the table.
Her own silent phone lit up a split second later. She and Inspector Plant shared a look before reaching for their devices.
‘Excuse me,’ Kim mumbled, grabbing the phone and heading for the door.
