‘That bastard,’ I said as I stormed my way into the CIB room. I desperately needed to hit something, or throw something, but given the lack of a suitable projectile, I gave the rubbish bin a hearty kick instead. Apart from making a sadly hollow noise as it bounced against the leg of my desk and giving my colleagues whiplash, it wasn’t at all satisfying.
‘Paul not empty the dishwasher again?’ Smithy said, a wry look on his face.
‘Oh funny,’ I replied, and thwumped down into my chair. ‘The Boss just chewed me up for contaminating evidence because I did the outrageous thing of putting the welfare of the baby first.’
‘Well, there could have been trace.’ Then he saw the look on my face. ‘Kidding, stop with the dagger look.’ He pretended to shield his eyes. Having someone as craggy-faced and dour as Smithy trying to put on a feigned terror act couldn’t help but make me smile.
‘It’s a fine line you’re walking there.’
‘Thought I’d crossed it for a second,’ he said. ‘And how did you take his comments?’ Smithy had been my mentor and guide during my first years on the detective ladder. He’d been patient and understanding of my refusal to take undue crap and my inability not to say what I thought. It had meant he’d had to smooth the waters on more than one occasion.
‘I may have made a bit of a faux pas. I got a bit shouty and stormed out, so I imagine that’s going to come back to bite me.’ In fact, I was frankly surprised that DI Johns hadn’t appeared down here already, armed with a DCM. Mind you, even if he did, a Don’t Come Monday wasn’t as effective against someone who had already submitted a Not Coming the next Monday, and following six months for that matter. The former wouldn’t look too flash on my records though.
‘Did you do sweary-shouty Sam or just shouty-shouty Sam?’
‘Sweary-shouty.’
‘Oh,’ he said. Oh indeed. ‘Would quite liked to have seen that.’
‘What would you have done?’ I asked. ‘You know, in that situation. Would you have whisked the baby off somewhere safe and dry?’
‘Of course I would have, as would anyone else with an ounce on sense. I wouldn’t get too hung up on him bawling you out about it. Besides, he was probably feeling a bit grumpy to begin with.’
‘Why?’ I asked, suspicion aroused by the smirk on his face.
‘Because he just found out that despite his best manoeuvring to keep you away from Aleisha Newman’s family, they have specifically asked to meet with you, to thank the person who found their baby.’
‘They have?’ My eyes went a bit swimmy, and I had to blink it away.
‘They have indeed.’
Suddenly the day seemed a little bit brighter. I couldn’t help but bust out in a big grin. ‘Well that would have right royally pissed him off.’
‘Somewhat.’ He had a gift for the understatement.
I thought about the ramifications of that – the good and the bad.
‘I guess that means he’ll be busy trying to dream up the shittest job he can to punish me.’
‘You’d have to presume so. He’s very grown-up like that.’
‘Bring it on.’
In this instance, it was worth it.