Read Waiting for Wednesday for Free Online

word: happiness for me is being loved by Frieda Klein.
You sounded a bit distracted on the phone this evening. Please tell me why. Tell me everything. Remember our river walk. Remember me. Sandy xxxxxxx



FIVE
    Commissioner Crawford frowned. ‘Make this quick,’ he said. ‘I’ve got a meeting.’
    ‘Is it a problem?’ said Karlsson. ‘I rang ahead before I came over.’
    ‘We’re all doing more with less at the moment.’
    ‘Which is why I wanted to talk to you about Bradshaw.’
    The commissioner’s frown darkened still further. He got up, walked to the window and looked out over St James’s Park. He turned to Karlsson. ‘What do you think of the view?’
    ‘Very striking,’ said Karlsson.
    ‘It’s one of the rewards of the job,’ said the commissioner. He brushed a few specks of dust off the sleeve of his uniform. ‘You should come here more often. It might clarify your mind.’
    ‘About what?’
    ‘About running a tight ship,’ said the commissioner. ‘About being a team player.’
    ‘I thought it was about solving crimes.’
    The commissioner took a step away from the window towards Karlsson, who was still standing beside the large wooden desk. ‘Don’t come that with me,’ he said. ‘A police force is about political influence, and it always has been. If I can’t get up the home secretary’s arse and get you the funding that you’re pissing away, you won’t be in a position to solve your crimes, any of you. I know things are tough, Mal, but these are tough times and we all have to make sacrifices.’
    ‘In that case, I’m willing to sacrifice Dr Hal Bradshaw.’
    The commissioner looked at him sharply. ‘You mentioned him on the phone. Has he done something wrong?’
    ‘I met him at the Chalk Farm murder scene. He just turned up.’
    ‘That’s the arrangement,’ said the commissioner. ‘I know the way he works. The quicker he can get on the scene, the more use he can be to us.’
    ‘I think he’s a distraction,’ said Karlsson.
    ‘Does this have anything to do with that Dr Klein?’
    ‘Why should it?’
    ‘Dr Klein and Dr Bradshaw were treading on each other’s toes. One of them had to go. We went through a full consultation process. The fact is that your Dr Klein is not trained in the forensic field.’
    Karlsson paused for a few seconds. ‘In my opinion,’ he said, ‘Dr Bradshaw does not represent good value for money.’
    ‘Wait,’ said the commissioner. He strode across to his desk and pressed a button. He leaned down. ‘Send him in.’
    ‘What is this?’ said Karlsson.
    ‘I don’t believe in being underhand,’ said the commissioner. ‘Things like this should be dealt with face to face.’
    Karlsson turned as a young uniformed officer opened the door and Hal Bradshaw walked in. Karlsson felt his cheeks flush with anger and hoped it didn’t show. When he saw the hint of a smile on Bradshaw’s face, he had to look away.
    ‘Mal,’ said the commissioner. ‘I don’t believe in going behind people’s backs. Tell Dr Bradshaw what you’ve just told me.’
    The three men were now standing in an awkward triangle in the middle of the commissioner’s office. Karlsson had the feeling that he’d walked into a trap.
    ‘I didn’t realize that talking to my boss was going behindpeople’s backs,’ he said, ‘but I’m happy to be clear about things.’ He turned to Bradshaw. ‘I don’t believe that your presence is helpful to the inquiry.’
    ‘Based on what?’
    ‘Based on the fact that I’m running it.’
    ‘That’s not enough,’ said the commissioner. ‘Dr Bradshaw’s got a track record. He appears on the Today programme.’
    ‘I don’t think he represents a proper use of public money.’
    Bradshaw turned to the commissioner and gave a sigh. ‘I think this is a problem that you need to sort out between yourselves,’ he said.
    ‘No,’ said the commissioner. ‘I want it sorted out here and now.’
    ‘I think my track record speaks for