Phil and Imani hadn’t been back in the office more than twenty minutes when Sperring and Khan turned up. Phil felt rather than saw Sperring’s arrival. He was sitting at his desk, writing up his visit to Ron Parsons, when he felt eyes on him. He looked up. Sperring was sitting at his own desk, staring straight over.
Phil returned the look. Showed he wasn’t scared or cowed by his junior officer.
‘How did it go?’ he said.
Sperring leaned back in his chair, put his hands behind his head, affecting nonchalance. His features were implacable, giving nothing away. ‘B and E that went wrong. Made a right mess. Some chavvy scrote off his tits, probably. He’ll give himself away. Sooner or later. We’ll have him.’
‘Glad to hear you’ve got it covered,’ said a voice from behind them. They both turned. DCI Cotter had come out of her office. She looked as happy as the rest of them to have been called in on her day off. ‘You can handle the paperwork, Ian, and that means I can redeploy DC Khan.’
Sperring’s hands came down as he turned in his chair to face her. ‘What?’
‘I’m sure a bit of overtime wouldn’t go amiss, would it, Nadish?’
‘Definitely not, ma’am,’ said Khan, standing up from his desk.
‘No plans for Saturday night?’ she asked, crossing over to where he stood.
He shrugged. ‘Nothing that can’t be changed, ma’am.’ He smiled. ‘Work comes first. You know me.’
Phil caught Sperring shaking his head slightly. He agreed: Khan was ladling it on a bit thick.
Cotter smiled. ‘Good. I want you and DC Oliver to get down to Hurst Street.’
Khan’s expression changed. ‘What? What for?’
‘To distribute pictures of the tattoo or mark we saw in that video. There’s a good chance that someone who frequents the bars down there might know the owner.’
Khan’s face reddened. He looked round the room to gauge everyone else’s reaction. No one was making eye contact with him. ‘That’s…’ He shook his head.
Cotter stepped up close to him. ‘Problem, DC Khan?’
‘Down there with the benders and shirtlifters? On a Saturday night?’
Cotter moved right into his face. Her voice dropped, her eyes didn’t. ‘Do you have a problem with people of different sexual orientation? A prejudice that might impair your ability to do your job?’
Khan wisely curtailed his first reaction. He closed his mouth, shook his head. ‘No, ma’am.’
‘Good. I’ve already informed the City Neighbourhood policing team who work down there that you’ll be coming to join them. They’ve been doing what they can and they’ll be able to give you a heads-up on the best places to go and who to talk to.’
Khan gave an abrupt nod, said nothing. Imani Oliver had risen from her desk, come to join them.
‘We need to find the owner of that tattoo, or someone who knows the owner. And that’s the best place to start.’ Cotter looked between the pair of them. ‘Casual clothes too. Look like you’re on a night out together.’
Khan and Imani shared a look. Phil, watching, almost smiled. A night out together was obviously the last thing either of them wanted.
‘Good,’ said DCI Cotter. ‘Any questions?’
They both shook their heads.
‘Then off you go.’
They turned and, with Khan walking like a condemned man off to the gallows, left the office. But not before he had given Phil the kind of stare he usually got from some criminal who had been found guilty as a result of his evidence given in court. The kind that was usually accompanied by a threat of vengeance.
Cotter watched them go, then looked at Phil and Sperring. ‘You two may as well get off home. Get some sleep.’
‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Sperring. ‘Just finish this report.’
‘Of course,’ said Cotter. ‘But I want you both back in tomorrow. You’ll have to give up the Lord’s day.’
‘No problem,’ said Phil. ‘Never was much of a churchgoer.’
She returned to her office, closing the door behind her.
Sperring waited until there was silence from behind her door, then leaned across to Phil. ‘Well played,’ he said.
Phil looked at him. ‘What d’you mean?’
‘You know fine well what I mean.’
‘Pretend I don’t,’ said Phil, turning away from his screen towards Sperring. He could already feel his hands bunching into fists. ‘Enlighten me.’
‘It was a bastard trick you just pulled.’
Phil raised his eyebrow, inviting Sperring to continue.
‘Getting the DCI to choose Khan to get down with the benders.’
‘Nothing to do with me.’
‘Like fuck it isn’t. You threatened the boy with that already. You know somebody else could have done it. You didn’t have to make it him.’
Phil leaned in close and low. ‘I had nothing to do with it. The DCI chose. I haven’t even spoken to her.’
Sperring stared at him.
‘Maybe,’ said Phil, ‘it’s only you who rates the kid. Maybe you only think you run this place.’
Sperring struggled to keep his fists down at his sides. Phil kept staring at him, not backing down.
‘Problem?’
Neither of them had heard the door open behind them. But they recognised Cotter’s voice straight away.
Phil sat back in his place. ‘No, ma’am.’
‘Good. Keep it that way. Get those reports done, then go home. Both of you.’
The door was closed once more.
Phil finished his report, then left the building. Feeling Sperring’s eyes on him as he went.