The Fourth Friend (DI Jackman & DS Evans #3)(3)

‘He’ll be monitored carefully, I’m sure.’ But Marie still looked worried. Jackman stood up and went to the door, closed it and returned to his seat. ‘If you are really concerned, my friend, perhaps we should talk about it.’

Marie sighed. ‘Yes. Especially since he’ll be working with us, and we are in the middle of investigating the disappearance of Suzanne Holland.’

Jackman nodded. ‘Ah, I see. The wife of one of Carter McLean’s dead friends.’

‘Carter says that obviously he knew her. After all, she was the wife of his oldest mate. But they were never great pals or anything. Even so . . .’ Marie shook her head.

‘Mmm, but it’s a connection to the past, isn’t it? Something Carter does not need.’

‘Exactly,” she said. “I think he wants to prove that he’s fit for whatever the job throws at him, even if it’s painful.’

‘Painful and dangerous,’ added Jackman. ‘I’ve seen coppers and soldiers suffer from flashbacks, and it isn’t pleasant.’

‘I get the feeling the upper echelons have decided that as long as he can pass muster as a police officer, they don’t give a shit if his world falls apart as soon as he gets inside his own front door,’ Marie said angrily.

Jackman looked at her. ‘You think that’s what’s happening? On the surface, he seems to be coping remarkably well. The chief constable thinks his conduct is pretty amazing, considering what he’s been through.’

‘God! He makes it sound like a stiff upper lip is all you require to recover! And you too, sir. Talk about Carry on Regardless!’ Marie was almost shouting.

Jackman looked at her in surprise. Such an outburst was most uncharacteristic. Then he laughed. ‘That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Carter McLean has just put a really high-profile case to the Crown Prosecution Service. Complex stuff, but he’s nailed it. And without moving out of the CID office.’

‘Yes, exactly. You said it yourself, sir, he did it from the office. He’s safe there. He’s in control. Unless the Good Lord was unkind enough to crash a plane directly on top of the nick, he’s unlikely to have to confront his worst fears in the CID room, is he?’ Marie frowned. ‘It’s when he’s alone in his bed that I suspect things get really bad.’

‘He’s still having nightmares?’

Marie nodded. ‘Carter McLean will probably be having nightmares for a very long time, along with disturbed sleep patterns, increased anxiety, panic attacks, clinical depression, oh yes, and those flashbacks you mentioned.’

Jackman stared at her. ‘You seem to know a lot about this.’

‘I know very little, other than what Carter has told me himself. We’ve talked a lot.’ She gave him a sad smile. ‘He was my Bill’s crewmate when they were in uniform, and they were very close. I saw a lot of Carter before Bill was killed, and I guess I feel I owe it to Bill to try to be there for his old friend.’ She paused. ‘Someone has to look out for him. After that bloody crash, he has no one else left.’

Jackman nodded slowly. ‘I see. Well, I do understand what you are saying about him, but he really is keeping it together remarkably well at work.’

‘As I said before, it’s a safe place to be, and what else has he got, sir? He needs the stability of the job he loves. He was always so damned good at the paperwork side that he probably put that whole last case together simply by working through the records. I’m just not so sure how he will react out in the great wide world.’

‘We need to let him try, Marie. You know what they say, The one who falls and gets up is so much stronger than the one who never fell.’

‘Oh Lord, you sound like one of those ghastly life coaches.’

‘You think maybe I should stick to detective work?’

‘A very good idea, sir.’ Marie grinned.

‘Well, before we get stuck in to some proper police work, have you read the new directive from the chief superintendent?’

‘Oh yes, but I’m not paying too much attention to it.’ She grimaced. ‘Nor will most of the other officers here.’

‘Personally, I can’t see a problem with it.’ Jackman sat back. ‘We obviously can’t take it too far, but we are all working together in a very demanding job, and we become a pretty tightknit unit. I think relaxing some of the “sirs” and “ma’ams” is a good thing. I’m more than happy for my colleagues to address me as Jackman. They are closer to me than most of my family! Sometimes I think they are my family.’ He grinned. ‘We’ll just need to make sure Max doesn’t call the super, “Me old cock sparra!”’

‘Perish the thought!’ Marie laughed. DC Max Cohen was one person who would have no trouble with relaxing the rules. The young detective came from the East End of London, and he had never lost his distinctive Cockney accent. ‘Still, it wouldn’t come easy to most of us and frankly, I think there should be boundaries. Some of the rookies really need them.’

‘Surely those of us with rank should win the youngsters’ respect by the way we behave and work? Most forces dropped the formalities years ago. We in the Fens are just behind the times.’

‘Nothing new there, then.’ Marie still looked unconvinced. ‘And we aren’t “most other forces.” I can’t see it working here, sir.’