happy, and at noon Hall was sitting in his office.
‘Who does she think she is? The Chief? I’ve had to re-arrange a very important lunch because of this.’
Hall did his best to look sympathetic.
‘I’m not sure what she’s getting so worked up about sir. The nature of sending an officer undercover is that they will become involved in criminal activity.’
‘Any news on those tractors?’
‘No, sir, not so far. But even if there was I’d want us to let them go, and alert Europol to follow them. Ian was sure that they were going abroad.’
Robinson didn’t look happy. ‘I’m beginning to regret us getting this assignment Ian, because I’ve got the feeling that it’ll turn out to be a poisoned chalice. We just can’t win here. Because if Ian doesn’t successfully infiltrate organised criminal enterprises then we’ll be criticised for wasting resources, and if he does we’ll be expected to get instant results. I just wonder if the other divisional commanders deliberately put forward weak cases, to make sure we got this one.’
Thanks very much thought Hall. It had taken him and Jane two weekends to pull their proposal together.
‘Let’s see how Val Gorham plays it, shall we sir? Ian has done a great job so far, and we’re pretty confident that we can get him in with Joey Spedding too, thanks to Ray’s DEFRA ruse.’
‘All right Andy, let’s see what she says. But remember, be as diplomatic as possible, I’ve no idea how much front line policing Ms Gorham has done, but one thing I promise you, when it comes to organisational politics she’ll be a past-master.’
Takes one to know one, thought Hall. ‘Yes sir, I will bear that in mind.’
For once Jane Francis did manage to pop out for lunch, and she met her friend Sally Bristow in a cafe in town.
‘It’s not like you to tear yourself away from the beloved’ said Sally, as they sat down with their soup and rolls.
‘Don’t you start.’
‘Is there trouble in paradise?’
‘You could say that. What is it about men that makes them so stupid?’
‘I don’t think we’ve got time for that one, have we?’
‘You will keep this to yourself, won’t you Sal? Don’t tell Bill.’
Sally laughed. ‘Don’t worry about that. He never listens to a word I say anyway.’
‘Do you listen to him?’
‘Of course not. I always know what he’d going to say. Marriage is about not having to listen any more.’
Jane smiled. ‘The bloody idiot only shagged you-know-who.’
Sally gestured pushing someone over, and a drop of soup fell from the end of her spoon.
‘Yes, her.’
‘But isn’t that against the law or something?’
‘No, because there’s no official investigation. At least, not at the moment.’
‘So did he tell you this himself?’
‘He denied it. But I could tell. His wife’s only been gone five minutes too.’
Sally laughed. ‘I’m not sure it’s anything to do with you Jane. Anyway, you want to improve him now do you, like doing up an old house?’
Jane laughed. ‘Something like that.’
‘Good luck with that then. And make sure you’ve got plenty of emotional supports handy if you do take him on. I bet you’ll need them.’
‘It’s all academic anyway. I’m pretty sure he likes me, but that’s it. Anyway, tell me about what’s happening with you. How’s things at work?’
‘Busy, and Bill is still waiting for the axe to fall. From the way he goes on you’d think we’d be kicked out of our house the week after.’
‘Would you?’
‘If I keep my job then no, we’d be OK, but it would be even tighter than it is now. The kids eat likes horses. And, speaking of which, the great thing about the horsemeat scandal is that suddenly we’re flavour of the month at work, if you’ll pardon the pun.’ Jane laughed.
‘And I don’t know what people are complaining about. People should be happy that it was only horse. I told you about that monkey we found, didn’t I?’
Andy
‘Who does she think she is? The Chief? I’ve had to re-arrange a very important lunch because of this.’
Hall did his best to look sympathetic.
‘I’m not sure what she’s getting so worked up about sir. The nature of sending an officer undercover is that they will become involved in criminal activity.’
‘Any news on those tractors?’
‘No, sir, not so far. But even if there was I’d want us to let them go, and alert Europol to follow them. Ian was sure that they were going abroad.’
Robinson didn’t look happy. ‘I’m beginning to regret us getting this assignment Ian, because I’ve got the feeling that it’ll turn out to be a poisoned chalice. We just can’t win here. Because if Ian doesn’t successfully infiltrate organised criminal enterprises then we’ll be criticised for wasting resources, and if he does we’ll be expected to get instant results. I just wonder if the other divisional commanders deliberately put forward weak cases, to make sure we got this one.’
Thanks very much thought Hall. It had taken him and Jane two weekends to pull their proposal together.
‘Let’s see how Val Gorham plays it, shall we sir? Ian has done a great job so far, and we’re pretty confident that we can get him in with Joey Spedding too, thanks to Ray’s DEFRA ruse.’
‘All right Andy, let’s see what she says. But remember, be as diplomatic as possible, I’ve no idea how much front line policing Ms Gorham has done, but one thing I promise you, when it comes to organisational politics she’ll be a past-master.’
Takes one to know one, thought Hall. ‘Yes sir, I will bear that in mind.’
For once Jane Francis did manage to pop out for lunch, and she met her friend Sally Bristow in a cafe in town.
‘It’s not like you to tear yourself away from the beloved’ said Sally, as they sat down with their soup and rolls.
‘Don’t you start.’
‘Is there trouble in paradise?’
‘You could say that. What is it about men that makes them so stupid?’
‘I don’t think we’ve got time for that one, have we?’
‘You will keep this to yourself, won’t you Sal? Don’t tell Bill.’
Sally laughed. ‘Don’t worry about that. He never listens to a word I say anyway.’
‘Do you listen to him?’
‘Of course not. I always know what he’d going to say. Marriage is about not having to listen any more.’
Jane smiled. ‘The bloody idiot only shagged you-know-who.’
Sally gestured pushing someone over, and a drop of soup fell from the end of her spoon.
‘Yes, her.’
‘But isn’t that against the law or something?’
‘No, because there’s no official investigation. At least, not at the moment.’
‘So did he tell you this himself?’
‘He denied it. But I could tell. His wife’s only been gone five minutes too.’
Sally laughed. ‘I’m not sure it’s anything to do with you Jane. Anyway, you want to improve him now do you, like doing up an old house?’
Jane laughed. ‘Something like that.’
‘Good luck with that then. And make sure you’ve got plenty of emotional supports handy if you do take him on. I bet you’ll need them.’
‘It’s all academic anyway. I’m pretty sure he likes me, but that’s it. Anyway, tell me about what’s happening with you. How’s things at work?’
‘Busy, and Bill is still waiting for the axe to fall. From the way he goes on you’d think we’d be kicked out of our house the week after.’
‘Would you?’
‘If I keep my job then no, we’d be OK, but it would be even tighter than it is now. The kids eat likes horses. And, speaking of which, the great thing about the horsemeat scandal is that suddenly we’re flavour of the month at work, if you’ll pardon the pun.’ Jane laughed.
‘And I don’t know what people are complaining about. People should be happy that it was only horse. I told you about that monkey we found, didn’t I?’
Andy
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