Maybe she’d always known that something like this was bound to happen, sooner or later. After all, it wasn’t the first time in her career that she’d sat outside the Super’s office waiting for a bollocking. Far from it. And this time it could be worse than any of those. She’d know immediately, of course. Because if that cold-eyed bitch from personnel was in there as well then it meant that she was going to get the sack. And how the hell would she look after Ben then? How would she live? How would she pay the mortgage? She had none of those transferable skills that people always went on about. But Mary Clark was alone, and there was a teapot, with the old Constabulary crest on it, and a pair of the best china cups and saucers. But there weren’t any biscuits. So mixed messages, then.‘Relax, Pepper’ said the Super, as Pepper marched up to the meeting table in parade ground style. ‘Sit yourself down.’‘Thanks ma’am.’‘You like your tea strong, don’t you?’‘So long as a spoon won’t quite stand up in it, it’ll do me.’‘A woman after my own heart.’ Clark put the the pot back down, and glanced down at her notes.
