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interrogation.’
    ‘And…?’
    ‘I was lying. He hit him all right.’
    ‘Why? You lying, I mean.’
    Milton had been leaning forward tensely, but he now sat back in his chair and smiled. ‘Thank you, Robert.’
    ‘For what?’
    ‘For asking why and not condemning me first.’
    Amiss looked enquiringly at Ann, who was defiant.
    ‘The why isn’t central when it’s a moral issue.’
    ‘Maybe I’m more of an equivocator than you, Ann. I still want to know why.’
    ‘Because Pike believed the suspect was a drug pusher and his own daughter is a heroin addict.’
    ‘But if someone like Jim doesn’t take an absolutist stand on coppers taking the law into their own hands, what hope is there for the police force?’ asked Ann angrily. ‘If he had told the truth when the solicitor lodged the complaint it would at least have showed that there was one honest man among them.’
    ‘There are a lot of honest men among us, Ann,’ said Milton evenly. ‘You know that very well and you know why I lied. To save Pike from having his career shattered because, once, and just once, he lost his temper under circumstances of extreme provocation.’
    ‘Pike is a decent bloke, is he?’ asked Amiss.
    ‘Salt of the earth. If he was a nasty piece of work I wouldn’t have hesitated about shopping him.’
    ‘And the fellow he assaulted?’
    ‘Oh, he’s a pusher all right. But it’s not as simple as that. He’s black, so anyone knowing the facts would assume that I’ve lied because I’m racist. Which I’m bloody well not.’
    ‘What did you say to Pike?’
    ‘That I would cover up for him this once, but that if I ever saw him raise a hand to a suspect again I’d do everything I could to have him fired.’
    ‘And how did he react?’
    ‘As you’d expect. Undying gratitude. It’ll never happen again. He doesn’t know what came over him. And I believe him. If he wasn’t the kind of chap he is but one of the thugs, he’d resent me deeply for even criticizing him, let alone hesitating about lying on his behalf. He knows he did wrong.’
    ‘What will happen if the allegation comes to court?’
    ‘I’m pretty sure it won’t. My wet reputation is a help. No one believes the story. But anyway, I’ve told Pike that if it does, I’ll perjure myself. Now you really do look shocked.’
    ‘I don’t know what to think, Jim.’
    Ann began to interrupt him. He got in first. ‘No, I can’t see it in your absolutist terms, Ann. I can’t honestly say what I’d have done in Jim’s position. Not everything is an issue of principle. I tend to be influenced by compassion towards the individual, and if Pike is as Jim says, personal loyalty would count a lot.’
    ‘To the point of perjury?’ she asked sharply.
    ‘Christ, I don’t know. Is perjury worse than lying to colleagues? Anyway, this doesn’t change my opinion of Jim. He was a pretty remarkable copper when I met him and he still is.’
    ‘Thank you, Robert.’
    Ann look unhappily at Amiss. ‘Maybe you’re right. I’ve been married to Jim for fourteen years and I shouldn’t start doubting his integrity now. And maybe your reaction to the story is another proof that I’ve been living in an ivory tower for several years and it’s time I got a real job.’
    ‘When you find one, will you make room for me? Jim’s dilemma has been salutary for me too. I’ve been telling lies in defence of policies I didn’t believe in for years. Maybe it’s time I called a halt before my moral sense is eroded yet further. Tell you what, Ann: if they try to take paper purchasing away from PD2, I’ll resign rather than fight on the issue.’

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    8
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    None of Amiss’s colleagues had given him more than a passing thought that evening. Tiny Short was celebrating a 17-16 derby win over a neighbouring rugby team and was in better spirits than for weeks. He was sure that the captain would now have no excuse for acting on recent hints that it was time the over-35s made way for