Elizabeth nods, then opens her notebook again. “My question is this. Wouldn’t you like to be investigating the Tony Curran murder?”
There is silence as Donna slowly weaves her hands together and rests her chin on them. She considers Elizabeth very carefully before speaking.
“There is already a team investigating the Tony Curran murder, Elizabeth. A highly qualified murder squad. I recently delivered tea to it. They don’t really have a vacancy for a PC who tuts every time she gets asked to dothe photocopying. Have you ever thought it’s possible you don’t really understand how the police works?”
Elizabeth notes this down, and talks as she writes. “Mmm, that is possible. How complicated it all must be. But a lot of fun, I imagine?”
“I imagine too,” agrees Donna.
“They say he was bludgeoned,” says Elizabeth. “With a spanner. Could you confirm that?”
“No comment, Elizabeth,” says Donna.
Elizabeth stops writing and looks up again. “Wouldn’t you like to be part of it, Donna?”
Donna starts to drum her fingers on the desk. “Okay. Let’s just suppose I would like to be involved in the murder investigation.”
“Yes, quite, let’s suppose that. Let’s start there, and see where we get to.”
“You do understand how CID works, Elizabeth? I can’t simply ask to be assigned to a particular investigation.”
Elizabeth smiles. “Oh, goodness, don’t you worry about that, Donna. We can take care of it all.”
“You can take care of it?”
“I should have thought so, yes.”
“How?” asks Donna.
“Well, there’s always a way, isn’t there? But you would be interested? If we could make it happen?”
Donna looks back to the heavy door, safely shut. “When could you make that happen, Elizabeth?”
Elizabeth looks at her watch and gives a small shrug. “An hour, perhaps?”
“And this conversation never leaves this room?”
Elizabeth puts a finger to her lips.
“Then I would. Yes, please.” Donna holds up her hands, open and honest. “If this doesn’t sound too juvenile, I would really, really like to chase murderers.”
Elizabeth smiles and puts her notebook back in her pocket. “Well, this is smashing. I thought I had read the situation correctly.”
“What’s in it for you?” asks Donna.
“Nothing, other than a favor to a new friend. And we might have the odd question here or there, about the investigation. Just to satisfy our curiosity.”
“You know I couldn’t tell you anything confidential. That’s not a deal I can agree to.”
“Nothing unprofessional, I promise you.” Elizabeth crosses herself. “As a woman of God.”
“And in an hour, you say?”
Elizabeth looks at her watch. “I’d say about an hour. Depending on the traffic.”
Donna nods as if this makes complete sense. “About your little speech, though, Elizabeth. I don’t know if it was designed to impress me or to show off in front of Joyce, but it was pretty obvious stuff.”
Elizabeth concedes the point. “Obvious, but right, dear.”
