‘What’s happening, girls?’

The younger ones sneered at her, but Beth, a veteran, said:

‘We’re here for Brant.’

Wait till the press got hold of that. Falls knew Brant would be delighted, asked:

‘Any news?’

Beth glanced at the group of officers in a corner, said:

‘Sure, those pricks are keeping us right up to date.’

Falls nearly smiled, and Beth added:

‘Most of them are shit scared I’ll call them by their first names and I might yet.’

Falls said she’d see what she could learn, and Beth looked at her, said:

‘Lose the blazer.’

Porter detached himself from the brass, came to Falls, snapped:

‘What kept you?’

Falls knew of the odd friendship between him and Brant, but he didn’t need to take it out on her. She lashed back:

‘You called me twenty minutes ago. What you’d think, I’d fucking fly over?’

He backed off, said:

‘There’s no news yet, he’s still in intensive care, I have to go to the station, be debriefed, I was with Brant when he got hit.’

Fallswent into cop mode, asked:

‘Did you see the shooter?’

Porter, his face drawn, said:

‘It happened so quickly, I never got a chance.’

Fallsconsidered that, then said as she moved away:

‘Too busy saving your own skin.’

Robertsarrived, with Andrews in tow, looked stunned to see the hooker convention, and moved to the officers, said:

‘Get them out of here.’

Oneof the younger guys said:

‘They might make a scene.’

Roberts gave him his full gaze, said:

‘Don’t give me fucking lip, give me results.’

Hegrabbed Porter, heard how the shooting went down, then:

‘I had a call from the shooter.’

Porter was astonished, asked:

‘Did he say why?’

Roberts couldn’t believe the stupidity, said: