They followed Harper through to his lounge. Harper smoothed his hair back over his head. Long at the back. Compensation, Shap recognised immediately, the deep forehead testimony to a receding hairline. Shap had never gone that route. Kept his short.
‘We have found the car,’ said Shap, ‘but it’s a write-off.’
‘A write-off?’ Harper’s face fell. ‘I’ve only had it three months,’ he said, exasperated.
Butchers took over. ‘I’m afraid your vehicle was involved in a road traffic accident earlier this morning. Hit and run.’
Harper’s expression changed to one of shock. ‘What happened?’
‘Little girl knocked down. She’s in hospital.’
‘That’s terrible.’
‘We’re still trying to find the driver,’ Shap explained. ‘Did you see anything when your car was stolen?’
‘Not a thing. I was in the house when it happened, as well. Car on the drive, crook-lock, immobiliser, the works. I couldn’t believe it…’
Butchers and Shap exchanged a look. Harper wasn’t going to be much use to them. Just another statistic in the auto-theft figures.
*****
‘It was definitely our side of the boundary, not Stockport’s?’ Detective Chief Superintendent Leonard Hackett glared at Janine and Richard.
‘Yes, sir,’ Richard replied.
‘Shame. So, Janine – you’ll take the rudder?’
He wanted her to lead the enquiry. She glanced at Richard; while she had been on leave, he had acted as lead officer and she knew he hoped to keep that level of responsibility.
Richard cleared his throat. ‘But, sir, I thought I’d be…’
Hackett frowned. ‘DCI Lewis is back now.’
Janine stepped in. ‘Sir, I’d really like to pursue the hit and run.’
‘Well, Mayne can lead on that.’ He gave a bright, vacant grin.
‘Can I suggest we team up and cover both?’ Janine said, trying to find a way she could stay involved with the accident.
Hackett pursed his lips, pulling the face that had led Janine to nickname him The Lemon. ‘The troops need to know who’s in charge. Clear chain of command.’ He thought for a moment. ‘No. You should lead on both, Janine.’
She felt Richard stiffen.
‘Obviously the murder is the priority,’ Hackett added.
‘Yes, sir.’
She could see the tension around Richard’s mouth, the irritation in his eyes, though he didn’t say anything.
Hackett nodded in dismissal and the pair of them stood and left his office.
Once they were out of earshot, Richard let rip. ‘He was happy enough while you were on maternity leave. I cleared three major enquiries for him, three!’
‘It’s not you – it’s him,’ she told him. ‘You’ll get there. He can’t put it off forever he’ll have to promote you. He did the same with me.’
