Chapter 38
CHAPTER 38
M ac
I look over at Winstanton while the summing up is in progress. His face is impassive, a brittle facade for what must be going on in his head. Eventually it’s over and the jury files out to the deliberation room. There’s no telling how long it will take but we don’t go far. There’s a whole bank of press outside the front of the court building, all eagerly waiting for their next big story. Winstanton is both local and national news so I’m sure it’ll be chaos out there.
We’re called in after only an hour, which is usually good news but I don’t get my hopes up too soon. I see Josh and Alex along with Annie Walker across the room as they wait for the verdict too.
There’s a momentary hush as the judge asks for the jury’s decision on count one—guilty. I zone out somewhere, unable to breath as the judge runs through all the other charges. Guilty on every single charge. I finally breathe, relief washing over me. Justice for all those victims, but most important to me, justice for Levi. The courtroom erupts.
I walk over and hug Josh and then Alex. They can put it behind them now.
“Will you tell Levi?” I ask, as casually as I can, and Josh is already pulling out his phone. I’d like more than anything to be there when he hears the news, but I can’t, though I intend to be with him as soon as humanly possible.
Shari and I slip out of the court building while our superiors have to give their press statements, and head back to the station. It’s the first big case Shari’s worked on, and we have the best possible result, so I grab us some celebratory coffees and doughnuts from the cart outside the station and we sit in my office. I let her talk through the trial, as she wants to go over parts of it. She’s keen to learn more. I also know from experience that it’s hard to focus back on the day job straight after a huge trial, and it is Friday afternoon. There’s nothing that won’t keep until Monday.
“Did you see his face when they read the verdict?” she says. “He looked like stone.” I’ve seen stronger men reduced to tears, but I don’t think there’s an emotional bone in Winstanton’s body so it’s no surprise that he showed nothing in public.
There’s a knock at the door and a junior officer is hovering outside. I wave him in.
“Boss wants to see you, sir,” he says. He must have made it back from the courts then.
“Both of us?”
“He said just you, sir.”
“Okay, thanks, and you can drop the sir.”
“Alright sir,” he replies and Shari chuckles. I make a face at her, which just increases her laughter. I leave her to explain why to the junior officer, and make my way slowly across the room. I have no idea what he might want so it can’t be good news.
“You wanted to see me, sir?” I say as I reach his office.
“Ah come in, West. And close the door.”
I do as he says and wait.
“Sit down, sit down.” He waves towards the chair on the other side of his desk.
“First of all, well done,” he says, and I stare at him. I don’t think I’ve received a word of praise from him in all the years I’ve known him. And it seems especially odd considering his view of the case and his previous friendship with Winstanton. Unless he’s echoing the views of those higher up and is relieved that nothing has been linked to him. Believe me, if I could have found some solid evidence that connected him with Winstanton other than just former colleagues, I’d have used it. But with Winstanton’s trial over he probably feels safer. Still, I need no special attention.
“I was just doing my job, sir, and it wasn’t just me. We had a team of excellent officers working on the case.”
I gain a small amount of satisfaction from seeing him wince. He’s the sort of person who takes credit for anything, even if they only had a small part to play. Not really a team player.
“Secondly, as of now, you’re on leave.”
That kills the satisfaction and knocks my breath from me.
“Sir?”
“You’re taking two weeks leave, effective immediately.”
I can’t believe he would do this. What have I done wrong?
“Why sir?”
“When did you last take a holiday?”
“I don’t know.”
“Exactly. I don’t want to see you again for two weeks, have I made myself clear?”
I open my mouth to protest.
“I can make it longer.”
I quickly swallow what I was about to say.
“Good, now go.” He looks down at the papers on his desk, dismissing me, and I walk back to my office, stunned, my limbs feeling like lead. Enforced leave is usually if you’ve done something wrong, and coming so soon after the trial it certainly feels like it. I’ve never been told to take leave ever in my career. I sit behind my desk and put my head in my hands. It feels like I’m being punished. Perhaps he knows about Levi and this is his way of dealing with it. Then I notice the envelope propped up on my laptop. It definitely wasn’t there before. I pick it up and peer at it. The only thing I recognise is the handwriting. It’s from Wren.