DCI Roberts watched the notification bubble announcing the arrival of an email arise out of the taskbar on his screen and then slide from view. He clicked on the email icon and opened his inbox. The Commissioner had sent him an mp3 file, attached to a short text message informing him the file contained a recording of a conversation he’d had with his grand-daughter shortly after she’d been returned to her family.
DCI Roberts opened the mp3 file and pressed the play button on his keyboard.
‘Hello, Ella,’ said a voice DCI Roberts recognised as the Commissioner’s.
‘Grandpa!’
That had to be Ella’s voice, thought the DCI.
‘Give me a hug!’
‘You’re not allowed to give hugs, Grandpa!’
DCI Roberts laughed to himself, as he imagined Ella reprimanding the Commissioner.
‘Oh, I forgot,’ said the
