Cross was about to brief Ottey with Clare’s findings back in his office when Mackenzie appeared at the door.
‘You’re wanted in Carson’s office,’ she said. They both got up. ‘Just DS Cross.’
Ottey stopped; she was about to exchange a look with Cross but he’d already gone, so she was talking to his back. She followed him out and looked across at Carson’s office, where she saw the boss talking to someone else. The back of that balding, shaved head was unmistakable. It was Campbell.
*
‘DI Campbell is unhappy about you reopening the Wilson case,’ Carson started off by saying to the standing Cross.
‘He’s not reopening it. There was no case. Is no case,’ spat Campbell.
‘Felicity Wilson died from an overdose—’ Cross began.
‘We know that,’ interrupted Campbell.
‘Of medical morphine, not heroin,’ said Cross.
Campbell went quiet, probably because he was actually trying to work out what the implications of this were.
‘Which obviously raises certain questions,’ Cross continued.
‘So she died from an overdose of medical morphine. What about it? She was an addict,’ said Campbell.
‘A recovering addict…’ Cross said.
Campbell snorted. ‘Oh, don’t give me that crap. Once an addict always an addict.’
‘Indeed, which is why I believe they are referred to as “recovering addicts”. Flick Wilson was clean, which you would’ve known had her hair been tested, which it wasn’t, because you were too quick to write this off as a suicide or accidental overdose.’
Campbell tried to interrupt, but Cross just continued with an ever so slight increase in volume and authority. ‘If you’d done your job thoroughly – no, let me rephrase that – properly, you would’ve tested her hair, because as you know, certain drugs remain in the hair and indicate the precise time they were ingested. Felicity had been drug-free for at least eighteen months. There wasn’t a trace of anything in her hair. Something else you would’ve known had you listened to the mother and followed through.’
‘In my opinion there was nothing to follow up on, and that still remains the case. She killed herself, tragic accident or tragic suicide,’ said Campbell.
‘Even in the light of what I’ve just told you?’ asked Cross.
‘Particularly in light of what you’ve just told me,’ Campbell replied.
Cross thought for a moment in case he hadn’t heard Campbell correctly. Realising he had, he looked up.
‘Really? Then perhaps you could explain, as I don’t understand.’ He turned to Carson. ‘Do you understand how he can still reach the same conclusion in light of the new evidence, or rather the old evidence which he didn’t actually look for?’
‘You want to watch your tone, Sergeant,’ said Campbell.
‘I am well aware of your superior rank, DI Campbell, but it doesn’t mean you’re any better at doing the job than I am. In fact, in your case, as we seem to have clashed on many occasions and almost always because of your lack of ability, it would seem to imply exactly the opposite,’ said Cross, with no side to it.
Carson nearly laughed but realised, just in time, that as the senior officer, that wouldn’t be appropriate. ‘So you’re saying Felicity Wilson was murdered?’ he said.
‘I am not,’ Cross replied.
‘Then what’s all the fuss about?’ asked Campbell.
‘What I am saying is that it is at the very least suspicious and warrants investigation. We don’t have any information to categorically say she was murdered, or indeed, at this point in time, whether a third party was involved,’ Cross said. ‘A conclusion we could’ve come to some weeks ago had DI Campbell not been in his usual rush to wrap things up without properly examining the evidence right in front of him.’
‘That’s it; I’ve had enough,’ said Campbell. ‘I’m not going to sit here and listen to this crap. You let him get away with way too much. I’m making an official complaint.’
‘On what grounds, Johnny?’ asked Carson.
‘His lack of respect, total disregard for the chain of command and a personal vendetta against me,’ said Campbell.
‘Vendetta implies a need for revenge. I’m curious – what have you done that I need to avenge, DI Campbell?’ asked Cross.
‘Do you want a slap?’ said Campbell.
‘I think you’ll find threatening another officer is a breach of the code. I’m not entirely certain, but if you put it in your complaint I’m sure someone will be able to clear that up,’ said Cross, who had nevertheless taken a step back.
Campbell looked at Carson.
‘George, that’s enough, thank you,’ said Carson. ‘Johnny, you are perfectly entitled to make a complaint. I would suggest you go straight through to Human Resources. Having said that, you might want to think about it for a minute, and after you’ve calmed down decide whether it’s your best course of action.’
‘Well, it would be pretty pointless sending it to my superior officer now, wouldn’t it?’ Campbell said.
‘And what exactly is that supposed to mean?’ asked Carson.
‘I’ve wasted enough time here. I’ll leave you with your pet,’ Campbell said and turned on his heels as Ottey appeared at the door.
‘Sandra Wilson is here,’ she said.
‘Oh good,’ said Cross. ‘Perhaps DI Campbell would like to take the opportunity to apologise to her. I know the force is big on relations with the public at this present time.’
Campbell paused for a second, then continued on his way out. Carson and Ottey shared a smile.
*
‘DI Campbell is making a complaint about me,’ said Cross, as he and Ottey walked towards the Voluntary Assistance suite.
‘I’m surprised it’s taken him so long,’ she replied.
‘You think I have something to answer for? That he’s justified?’
‘No, not at all. If he was half as good at his job as he thinks he is, you wouldn’t be able to constantly highlight his shortcomings.’
‘Oh dear,’ said Cross.
‘I wouldn’t worry about him,’ she said reassuringly.
‘I wasn’t. I was just thinking of all the other officers in the department whose shortcomings I might have drawn attention to, deliberately or otherwise. Will they all be making complaints?’
‘Maybe. Hey, they could do a kind of class action. A load of complaints in one,’ she said.
He frowned. ‘I think you’re joking, but even if you’re not, it’s not in the least bit helpful.’
Ottey laughed. It was a full twelve months since she’d become his partner and although it had taken some time to get used to him she had come to respect and understand him. As a single mother of two daughters she often found herself applying her domestic experience to deal with her idiosyncratic work partner. She realised that if she gave him the kind of latitude she often dispensed at home, they could rub along quite nicely. In many ways she had become Cross’s apologist in the department; his interpreter. She confessed to friends that she might have been less understanding had he not been such an irritatingly brilliant cop. He had the highest conviction rate in the force. By far. Having said that, there were times when she would happily have thrown him off Clifton suspension bridge.