Sally placed a comforting arm around his shoulders. “It’s all right, Dad. He’s safe now. Isn’t he, doc?”
Dr. Munroe inhaled a large breath. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that. It’s too early to tell. Depends if the fractured ribs have caused any internal damage. I’m going to have to keep him in for a few days to monitor his recovery. Are you insured?”
“Yes, but even if we weren’t, it wouldn’t matter. Just do what you can for him please.” Sally gently wiped tears from under her painful eyes.
“You look as though you’ve been in the wars, too, Sally,” Dr. Munroe said.
“This one I had already, and this was courtesy of the same man who struck Dex. Don’t worry, he’s been arrested. We’ll make sure we throw the bloody book at him, too. People with such violent tendencies shouldn’t be allowed to roam the streets.”
“Quite right, too. I hope you and Dex heal quickly. I’ll keep you updated daily. Hopefully, he should be able to come home at the weekend, all being well.”
“Thanks, doc. Just do your best; that’s all we ask. He’s our special dog.”
“I will. I must get on with my surgery appointments now. People will be cursing me for keeping them waiting.”
“Thanks for squeezing us in,” Sally’s father said, shaking hands with Dr. Munroe before they left his consulting room.
Sally glanced around the room at the sea of angry faces staring at them. “I’m sorry for the hold-up. It was an emergency. I’m sure as pet lovers, you will totally understand our concerns.”
She was greeted by nods and a number of embarrassed smiles. The evening was filled with her father voicing his recriminations over and over and threatening what he planned to do to the thug if the police failed in their duties.
“It ain’t going to happen, Dad. I’ll make sure of that. I’m even going to go one step further and try and get them moved. You’ve dealt with enough of their shit over the past year. I have a friend on the council. I’ll urge them to look at relocating the family, in light of what went on today. I’ll make sure it’s treated as a priority.”
“But I wouldn’t feel right about another group of people being lumbered with such an out-of-control family, Sally,” her mother said meekly.
“They won’t just plant them anywhere, Mum. They’ll read them the riot act and caution them about their future behaviour before finding a suitable home for them. They might even tell them to take a hike and refuse to rehouse them. Here’s hoping, eh?” Sally said, hopefully putting her mother’s mind at rest.
Her father grunted. “Transfer them to a desert island. That should do the bloody trick. Trouble runs through their veins. They’re not likely to change their ways, sweetheart.”
Sally chuckled. “We’ll see what we can come up with between us. I’m positive they’ll be out of your hair soon, Dad. I’ll emphasise the need for peace and normality in the neighbourhood.”
Her father nodded then sighed heavily. “Fingers crossed. Poor Dexter.”
“He’ll be fine. Dr. Munroe has never let us down in the past. Will you ring the insurance company in the morning, or do you want me to do it?”
“You better do it, as he’s your dog, and the policy is in your name, love,” her father replied.
“Okay, I’ll have to nip back home on the way into work to pick up the policy. Now, let’s eat, confident that Dex is in safe hands.”
“What about you going to the hospital, love?” her mother asked.
“I’ll pop in after I’ve been home. I doubt they can do anything. The cheek will need to heal itself.”
She set off earlier than usual and took a detour to the hospital’s A&E department, where she was seen quickly. The doctor X-rayed her cheek and told her what she’d already suspected—she had suffered a slight fracture that would heal itself within a few weeks. Back at her flat, Sally shook her head as she studied her reflection in the mirror, then she started the arduous task of trying to disguise her newest shiner. She could just imagine Jack’s reaction when he saw her first thing. She dreaded that meeting as she finished dressing. She scooped up the pet insurance document and left.
Twenty minutes later, she entered the incident room wearing sunglasses. The second Jack spotted her, he crossed his arms. He refused Sally access to her office by blocking her path. “Don’t make a big deal out of this, Jack. It’s not what it seems.”
Before she could stop him, he whipped the sunglasses off and stared down at her open-mouthed. His face reddened in anger, and he marched towards the door. Sally ran after him and caught up with him in the hallway. “Bullet, stop! I told you it’s not what it seems. I’m not making excuses. Check with the desk sergeant if you don’t believe me. Ask him about the incident I called in last night.”
His steps faltered, and he swung around to face her. “What are you talking about? Darryl did this, didn’t he?”
“No, he didn’t. I wouldn’t lie to you, Jack. My folks had a major problem with a neighbour, and my dog is receiving emergency medical care because of the distasteful incident.”
He frowned. “So what’s with the black eye?”
Sally shrugged. “Maybe the bloke thought I would look better with a matching pair.”
Neither of them laughed.
“Jesus, he clobbered you? Did he know you were a copper?”
“Not before today. He does now, though. He’s probably cursing about the fact down in the cells right now.”
“What’s wrong with your dog? Are your folks all right?”
“I need a coffee. I’ll tell you in the office. At least I can work without having to wear these things now that the truth is out.”
They strode through the incident room. Jack stopped at the machine and insisted on paying for the coffee, then they settled into the two chairs in her office, where she detailed the previous night’s events.
“Jeez, what a sicko to take it out on a dog and a woman like that. You do tend to attract cowards. Maybe I’ll pay Dickhead a visit in his cell later, see if he wants to vent his frustration out on me.”
“You will not. It’s in hand, my hands—have you got that?”
He held up his finger and thumb, a small distance apart. “Just a tiny bit of retribution?”
“No! Right, I have to ring the insurance company at nine. Then I want to call a meeting, recap yet again what we’ve discovered. One thing you can do for me in the meantime, and to prevent you from sneaking downstairs to the cells, is to ring Simon, and see if the DNA results are through yet. If not, remind him of the urgency behind getting the results back promptly.”
“Will do. What if they come back with Dorling’s DNA?”
“Then we’re screwed.”
Jack left the office, and Sally rang the insurance company, whose representative was sympathetic and assured her that all the vet’s bills would be covered without fail.
Sally took her coffee and returned to the incident room. “Gather around, folks. Let’s bounce some ideas around. I have a feeling the super will be eager for us to come up with answers to all the cases soon.”
“I’m surprised he hasn’t been in here shouting the odds already,” Jack replied under his breath.
“I think there are a lot of changes afoot that he’s trawling through at the moment. I’m not complaining; at least it’s giving us the chance to work the cases out without any unnecessary extra aggro in that respect. Yesterday’s murder has definitely made a mockery of our congratulatory drinks the other night—that’s for sure. Right, where do we stand with Dorling’s vehicle? Showing up on CCTV anywhere?”
Joanna raised her hand. “I’ve had a couple of sightings, but I’d like a few more hours of searching just to ensure we’re chasing the right vehicle, if that’s okay, boss?”
“Of course. That sounds hopeful anyway. What about the statements from the latest victim’s boyfriend? Has anyone checked that he and his friends turned up?”