20
Inspector Keith Jacobs had not had the most fruitful of days. For a start, he slept through his alarm, which naturally meant he was late for work. In his haste to try to save time, he managed to slip over in the bath and bang his forehead on the side. Then, to add to his misery, he also managed to cut himself shaving, and his chin was still bleeding when he arrived at the station.
As he was assigned to such a small county station, it was not as if he had a senior officer breathing down his neck. But all the same, he felt it was important that he project the correct image to his subordinates, and being on time for work was a basic example of probity, which he was keen to exhibit.
The desk sergeant casually glanced over at the wall clock when he wished Jacobs good morning. It was a sub
