Chapter 12
599 Words
12
While the others were left trying to find out John Lucas’s parole address, Culverhouse went back into his office. Wendy followed him, keen to catch him as quickly as possible before things really kicked off.
‘I know this is a bad time,’ she said, closing the door behind her, ‘but I need to get it sorted before this case starts to take over.’
‘What is it?’ Culverhouse barked, putting a pile of papers down on his desk with more force than was necessary.
‘My inspectors’ exams. The next opening is coming up in a few weeks and I think I’d like to go for it this year. Problem is, the first exam is on a date I’m scheduled on shift.’
‘A few weeks? You’d need longer than that to revise, surely?’ Culverhouse asked, narrowing his eyes at her.
‘I reckon I could cram. It’s either that or wait another year for the exams to come round again. I might as well go for it.’
Culverhouse thought for a moment before shaking his head. ‘No. The only way you’re going to manage that is if you sit at home reading Blackstone’s back to back, over and over. I can’t have your head stuck in that mode while I need you active on the team. There’s a good chance you’ll have to do overtime, too.’
This wasn’t the response Wendy had expected. She thought he might make some sort of derogatory comment — she’d have been amazed if he didn’t — but the suggestion that Wendy should take her inspectors’ exams had been his, and she wasn’t going to let him forget that.
‘But I reckon I could do it. Most of the stuff I’ve been revising is stuff I’ve already got a decent grasp of. And yeah, there’s a good chance I might not pass, but if that’s the case then I’ll still have to wait until next year anyway. What’s the harm in trying this year too, even if I fail spectacularly?’
‘Like I said. I need you on the ball, not thinking about exams and revision. Go for it next year instead. Then you’ve got a year and a bit to revise and get yourself ready. That way, the team doesn’t lose out.’ Culverhouse sat down in his chair and made a charade of looking something up on his computer, even though Wendy knew damn well he was just trying to get her to shut up and leave.
She tried not to rise to the bait. ‘The team won’t lose out. If anything, it’ll gain from my experience and new rank. It’ll take some of the pressure off you, too. It was your idea.’
Culverhouse steepled his hands and took a deep breath. ‘I’m aware of that, Knight. And I’ve got absolutely nothing against you going for the inspectors’ exams, but all I’m saying is that now’s not the time. Since I mentioned it all that time ago, you’ve said nothing about it. I thought you’d ignored it, weren’t interested. And now months later you come in and tell me you want to take time off in a couple of weeks’ time for it? On the morning a new major investigation kicks off? You’re one for bloody timing, I’ll give you that.’
‘I’ve not done it on purpose,’ Wendy said, feeling somewhat affronted at the attitude Culverhouse had taken. ‘I’ve been thinking about it for a while, ever since you mentioned it.’
‘But you didn’t think to tell me? Perhaps warn me that you were going to be going for it?’
‘It was your idea!’ Wendy said, raising her voice. She knew he was being completely unreasonable, but at the same time he had a knack of making his argument sound perfectly fair.
‘Look, we’re just going round in circles here,’ Culverhouse said, standing and walking over to the office door. ‘I’ve said no, and that’s that. Alright?’
He opened the door and looked at Wendy, who walked out of the office and back into the incident room without looking at him once.
- Writer
