Out of view of her husband, Joyce drew the scarf from her throat. There was a gasp from people close enough to make out the bruising and choke marks around her neck.

Richard looked down on the people. A frown crossed his features as he followed their gaze to his wife, standing behind him to his left. ‘What are you—?’

Joyce took off her large dark sunglasses. She wore no makeup. Her swollen black eye with its frame of purple and yellow bruising needed no explanation.

Some more gasps, then a hush fell over the crowd.

Joyce moved around the table and stepped to the front of the rotunda. She pointed at her husband and spoke just one word.

‘Him.’

Wozza nudged my arm. ‘Looks like we’ve got some arrestin’ to do,’ he said.

CHAPTER 41: THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S VISIT

CHAPTER 41

THE CHIEF COMMISSIONER’S VISIT

Randall looked a little green around the gills when he flew into the CIB office.

Wozza raised his eyebrows. ‘Steady on there, young Randall, or you’ll take the new skin off your elbows.’

‘The Chief’s here!’ Randall said breathlessly.

‘The Chief? As in the Chief Commissioner? Here? As in here in our building?’ Wozza sat up a little straighter, as if the Chief might walk into our office right now.

‘Yes!’ said Randall. ‘In the flesh! Just walked in through the front door. I was on the counter. I can’t believe I met the Chief!’ He looked down at his hand in wonder and I guessed there’d been a handshake involved.

Wozza spoke slowly, like he was talking to a child. ‘And where’s the Chief now?’

‘In with Wheels,’ Randall said, then flew out of the room again, probably heading to the phone to ring his mother with the news.

Wozza looked at me. ‘He’ll never wash that hand again.’ Then his face turned serious. ‘The complaint?’ he said. ‘You reckon the Chief is here about Wheels’s complaint against you?’

Wheels had taken great delight in telling me he’d put in a formal complaint about my behaviour. He’d done it the day after the break-in at my farmhouse and the attack on Waffles. I’d been so exhausted, it barely registered.

‘We’ll know soon enough,’ I said. ‘If I get summoned to his office, we can safely draw that conclusion.’

Wozza stood up. ‘You know the Chief Commissioner has the power to dismiss officers instantly?’ he said.

I nodded.

‘Well, if you’re summoned, I’m coming in too! There’s no way I’m going to stand by and let him push you under the bus on this one. You did an incredible job, and just because you’ve arrested his mate the mayor—’

The phone on my desk rang and we both jumped, startled. I picked it up.

Wheels. ‘My office. Now.’

Wozza followed me down the corridor and through the muster room, where Randall was on the phone.