"C'mon," the man in the chair said. "How much does yez make as a peeler? It can't be that much. I mean, there's been the cuts an' all, an' a public servant like you can't have been making that much in the first place."

Detective Sergeant Beaulieu steepled his fingers and stared down his nose at the man opposite him. Could the man really be offering him a bribe? Here? In the interrogation suite? Beaulieu glanced towards the digital recorder at the side of the desk. "You wouldn't be offering me money to let you go?" he asked.

"Of course not," said the suspect. "That would be agin' the law. And I'm a decent citizen. And concerned one." He gave Beaulieu a crafty grin and tapped the side of his nose with a finger.

Beaulieu kept his voice neutral. "Decent citizen, right."

"I see we understand each other, sergeant," the man said. "So ... ?"

"Interview paused at 1540," Beaulieu said and tapped the controls on the front of the digital recorder, before turning his attention back to the man in front of him. "You know I can't just let you go," he said in a hoarse whisper. "People would ask questions. I'd have to be sure that you weren't the man we were looking for. And then I'd have to clear it with my superior."

The man grinned at him. "I know what you mean. I'm sure we could come to an accommodation with yer man. Now, would it be best to talk to him as well."

"I think it would." Beaulieu pushed his chair back and stood up, using the recorder to steady himself. "I'll be back in a minute."

It took him five minutes to find Detective Inspector Corrigan and bring him back to the interrogation suite. "This is my chief," Beaulieu said by way of introduction.

"Corrigan," the inspector said. He leaned over the desk, resting his arms on the recorder. "Now, what were you saying to the sergeant?"

"I was sayin' that it might be the case that you had the wrong fella," the seated man said. "And you might see things in a more charitable light if I was to make a contribution to the charity of your choice."

Corrigan looked at Beaulieu. "Is he saying what I think he's saying?"

Beaulieu shrugged. "Why don't you ask him, sir? I think it's perfectly clear to me."

"As it is to me." Corrigan turned his attention back to the man. "It had better be worth our while."

"How's about a grand. Each," the man said. "That should do it."

"It should do," Corrigan replied. "Sergeant, book him for bribery as well as the other charges."

"But ... ," the man protested, "you don't have any proof!"

Beaulieu hit a switch on the digital recorder. The man's face drained of colour as he heard his own words incriminating him.

"Really should get that switch fixed," Corrigan said.

"Aye sir," Beaulieu replied.