Xion Island Carrier: Chapter 2

Detective Chief Inspector Silas Nash slipped into the passenger seat of the unmarked car and nodded at DI Molly Brown.

‘Brown.’

 She looked at him in surprise, clearly expecting her usual partner, Phil Renshaw. She waited for an explanation, but telling her without winding her up would be too easy. Nash was playing with fire.

‘Any reason why I’m stuck with you today, boss?’ she asked, firing up the engine.

Nash pulled a face at his seatbelt, took a tissue from his pocket and wiped the length of the canvas before snapping it into place. He curled his mouth at the offending tissue before putting it back in his jacket pocket. Trying for a nonchalant reply, he failed miserably. ‘It’s just for today. You’ll be with Keeley Norton from tomorrow.’

Molly stopped the car in the middle of the parking bay, sending Nash flying forward and making him grateful for the offending seatbelt. Her hands rose from the wheel, and she turned to him. Her expression was as turbulent as Morecambe Bay in winter. ‘Tell me this is a nightmare I’ll wake up from. You’re joking, right?’

‘Deadly serious. She’s joining the team tomorrow. Norton’s been given a clean bill of health and cleared for duty after her psych eval.’

‘Are you mad? I can’t work with her. I won’t.’

‘You can and you will. She’s been released from the hospital, recuperated at home for six weeks, and is keen to return to work. I’m relying on you to help her ease back into it. This is a new town for her and a new role.’

‘That’s what we’re calling it now. Hospital?’ She spat the words, her face wrinkling as if the idea tasted foul. ‘She’s fresh out of rehab, Nash, not some hospital after a sprained ankle. And you expect me to work with her?’

Nash ran his fingers down the creases in his trousers, settling in and preparing for a tough sell.

‘First. You need to remember who you’re talking to.’

‘Sir,’ Molly said, with sarcasm thick enough to choke on.

‘And secondly, you need to think about what that young woman went through to save the kids in this town. Could you have done what she did? I know I couldn’t.’

‘I wouldn’t want to.’

‘And neither did she.’

‘Snorting coke from toilet cisterns seemed to come easily enough to her from what I saw.’

‘That’s enough. One more word like that, and I’ll put you on a charge.’

Molly sat in sulky silence, looked over her shoulder and finished reversing the car out of the parking bay. She knew how far she could push him, and when Nash’s tone took on a bark—that was the line.

‘I know what you’re thinking, Molly. But Norton’s a hero. Her addiction in the line of duty was a sterling sacrifice, and you’d do well to remember that. She’s taken a hit to her career and reputation. She lost her home, her friends, her old life, and the role in vice that she loved. Norton was forced to transfer out of Manchester. She accepted a demotion to stay in the job, and she’s even taking a pay cut to be here. She wants to prove herself after her addiction, and she deserves the chance to do it.’

‘Deserves it? She’s up for a commendation, isn’t she? What more does she want? All hail Saint Keeley Norton.’

‘She’s the first officer in Barrow ever nominated for a King’s Police Medal.’

‘The rest of us put our lives on the line every bloody day. Where’s our KPM?’

Nash laughed. ‘Not arriving anytime soon. But I’ll buy you a KFC if you like.’

Brown ignored him and took the Tesco roundabout too sharply, making him slew to the left. Her driving style had been banned in three countries and strongly discouraged in two others. Nash righted himself as she fumed. ‘Norton’s recklessness put her in this position. She made herself a liability, Nash. She knew what she was doing.’

‘That’s why she’s up for the KPM. She went into a two-year sting with her eyes wide open. She lived among addicts, knowing she’d have to cross the threshold of legality and being fully aware that she’d take drugs as part of her cover. She did it for those kids, knowing the risks and consequences.’

‘My heart bleeds.’

Nash smiled. If sarcasm was a cocktail, Molly could open a bar and poison the regulars. ‘It should. I’m putting you two together, so deal with it.’ Nash held her gaze. ‘Neither of you outranks the other, and you’re experienced enough to keep things professional. That’s what I expect.’

Molly looked away, her fingers tightening on the steering wheel as she processed the decision. ‘So you’re not even putting me in charge? You know I don’t work well with women.’ There were good cops, bad cops, and then there was Molly—an emotional battering ram with a badge.

Nash shook his head. ‘Equal footing.’

‘And what about Renshaw? Does he know?’

‘Not yet. I wanted to tell you first. Renshaw’s going to be overseeing Bowes and Lawson. They’re coming up for their first promotion, and I want to rotate them with Phil to bring them on.’

Brown scowled. ‘Renshaw’s idea of conflict resolution is buying biscuits and pretending nothing happened. If I’ve got to lose my partner, he’d be a better fit for her than me.’

‘This isn’t just about Norton. It’s about what’s best for the team.’

‘It’s not fair that I’m playing babysitter to someone who intentionally got herself addicted. We know the truth—she didn’t just go undercover, she went too far. She got in so deep with the dealers that she was part of their world. And I’m supposed to be her partner? I’m sorry, Nash, I don’t trust her.’

‘She speaks very highly of you.’ His tone said that Keeley’s true feelings were the exact opposite.

‘Great. So she hates me?’

‘I wouldn’t go that far. Last time you two were together, you went joyriding on that motorbike of hers. You are going to learn to work together. You’re professionals, and I expect you to act like it, and a little more respect wouldn’t go amiss.’

Molly’s mouth was tight, and she let out a frustrated huff. ‘Sorry, sir, but a partner’s supposed to have your back. I won’t be turning mine on her, that’s for sure.’

‘What if she’d been shot in the line of duty? Would you be so prejudiced then? We’re putting a hundred and sixty-three dealers behind bars, and that’s partly because of her.’ He decided to go for some straight talking. ‘I don’t think this is about Norton at all. You’re intimidated by her and jealous.’

She spluttered, and his expression softened. He kept his voice steady before the steam escaping her ears caused an explosion. ‘I’m not asking you to babysit her, and I wouldn’t bring her onto the team if I thought she was bad for us. She’s an asset. Yes, she’s unorthodox, but she’s paid dearly for her loyalty to the job.’

‘Not as much as I’m about to.’

‘Don’t see this as a punishment, Molly. It’s an opportunity for you to grow as an officer. I’m nipping potential bad blood in the bud, and this assignment will force you to find a way to get on.’

‘You’re putting a lot of faith in her, Nash. But fine, I’ll keep things professional—if she can.’

‘No. I’m putting my faith in you, Molly.’ He touched her on the arm, and she shook him off, but he knew he’d got to her, and she’d soften when she’d had time to work through it in her head.

They drove in silence, and Nash could see Molly smouldering. Her fingers tapped an aggressive beat on the steering wheel as she navigated through the town. Nash was comfortable with his thoughts about the case, letting the silence stretch until Molly broke it. The terrier wasn’t ready to release its bone yet. ‘How can we trust her after what happened? She went there once; what’s to stop her from doing it again? Addiction doesn’t leave quietly. It scratches at the door, waits for the dark, then lets itself back in.’

He could have pulled rank and reined her in, but she had to get it off her chest. ‘That’s for DCS Lewis and me to worry about. She’s been through rehab and passed her psych evaluations. DI Norton’s finished with undercover work. And with her cover blown, that wasn’t her choice. It’s going to be hard for her to adjust. She was one of the top officers in her field, and her position here is very different. It means not being a lone wolf and performing as part of this team. It won’t be easy, and you’re the best person to help her. Bronwyn and I didn’t pick your name out of a hat.’

‘Why not Jackie, Woods? She’s the nurturing type and would be far better at dealing with her than I would. She’s so Mother Earth that she probably composts her emotions. Hell, last year, she had squirrels nesting in her ponytail. Let her deal with Norton.’

Molly had a lot more to say, and Nash let her rant. Her scowl lengthened as they pulled up to the scene—a suspicious death that had taken them over the bridge to Walney Island, where Nash lived.

It was an affluent area. Who had the most to gain from the businessman’s untimely death? It would give Brown something to chew on and get her mind away from the drama at the station.

They approached the designer home with its door ajar. The impressive new build was on the same ocean-fronting boulevard as Nash’s house, but other than a polite ‘Good Morning’ in passing, they’d never interacted. The financial portfolio mogul had a reputation for being aloof and considered himself above passing platitudes with a mere policeman. There was no conflict of interest in Nash working this case.  

Signs of forced entry were evident from the cracked frame and broken lock. Experience told them that the break-in was probably a ruse. Domestic murders were most commonly committed by loved ones or people closely connected to them, and this victim had a lot of money to flash. It was a heady motivator for committing serious crimes.

The scene had been taped off, and the neighbours moved aside to give their initial statements to the first responders. Molly took out her device and shifted into work mode.

‘Get a statement from the wife. Forensics are on prints, so don’t get in their way, and organise a squad to check CCTV in the area,’ Nash said.

They examined the scene, talked to Cheryl Collins, the traumatised wife, and coordinated with forensics.

‘Look at this, boss,’ Molly said, pointing to a ransacked chest of drawers in the couple’s bedroom. ‘Staged.’

Nash nodded; the drawers had all been pulled out together, a common sign of staging. Opening two drawers at once traps the lower one. Serious burglars would have closed the first one before opening the second. It was a rookie error on the murderer’s part, firming Nash’s belief that it was a one-off incident.  

Molly was involved in gathering information and locking in clues, and Nash was glad to get her off his back. He questioned his decision for the hundredth time. Brown was the officer he’d want behind him in a crisis and the best one to help Norton settle in. He was sure of it, but she was hot-headed and there was no way they wouldn’t butt heads. Molly was right. He must be mad putting them together.

As they wrapped up and went back to the car, Nash saw that the thought of Norton still bothered Brown. ‘One of us needs to be in charge, even if it’s her. Who’s going to be the decision maker?’

‘Both of you. That’s just it, Molly. You’re of equal rank, and I want you to work as a cohesive unit and figure things out together.’

‘I’m used to giving orders to lower ranks, but I’ll try to be professional.’

‘That’s all I ask,’ Nash said. ‘If there’s any tension, work through it. You’re both smart. She’s got a lot to prove, and so do you. I expect you to keep your temper and lead by example. You need to move forward without dragging up old wounds.’

Molly indicated, checked her mirror and glanced at him. Her mouth twisted into a reluctant smile. ‘If I didn’t respect you so much, I’d tell you what I think of your strategy.’

Nash laughed. ‘I’m sure you’ll let me know soon enough. But my office is not a revolving door for you two to bring your grievances. Remember that.’

Molly gunned the engine and peeled away from the murder scene.

 

Xion Island Carrier is book 6 in the DCI Nash series. They're all on KU. Hush Hush Honeysuckle is Book One, and this is the Amazon link.

https://books2read.com/u/4EB0zg