Carson assembled a meeting of the entire MCU team in the MCU. Cross, as usual, sat at the back next to the door in case the meeting and accompanying noise became too much for him and he needed to make a hasty retreat.
‘As you all know, the Moreton murder is an open case once again. It’s no higher a priority than it was before. But it is clearly at the front and centre of current media and public interest. The facts are still the same. A man has been murdered. However, because in essence we charged and took the wrong man to court there is added pressure from upstairs to get it right this time. We need to rectify the situation as quickly as possible in the public eye. We need to prove that we can do our job properly, bring people to justice and prove that the public have good reason to trust us,’ he said.
‘Is DI Warner still leading the investigation?’ asked Ottey.
‘No.’
‘Is he aware of that, sir?’ she continued.
‘No. I can’t get hold of him at the moment. But just as soon as I can he will be told and be returning to the Kent force,’ Carson replied. ‘DS Ottey will be leading the investigation with DS Cross. They will report directly to me, in effect now the SIO on the case. So, if there are any questions or queries and you find they’re out of the office, my door will be open.’
‘What about Montgomery? What the hell’s going on there? I liked him for this,’ asked a detective, known to be suspicious of Cross and his way of working.
‘George, perhaps you could answer that as I’m assuming you had a good reason to let our prime suspect walk,’ said Carson.
‘He didn’t own a dog,’ Cross said, causing a couple of people to laugh. Ottey had noticed since her return that Warner’s presence in the MCU had had quite an effect on people feeling freer to question or disrespect Cross.
‘Right…’ said Carson.
‘Whoever killed him had a dog,’ Cross went on.
‘So, we’re looking for a man who owns a Rhodesian Ridgeback?’ asked Carson.
‘Possibly,’ Cross replied enigmatically before disappearing through the adjacent door.