Joyce parked in her station car park and waited for Sergeant Bell. As she expected, she saw Maggie strolling towards the entrance. Opening the driver's window, she spoke loud enough for Maggie to hear. "Sergeant Bell. A word, please."

Maggie strode to the car. "Hi, what does the boss's wife want with me?"

"Jump into the passenger seat. We need to talk about Inspector Hugh Talbot."

Maggie clambered into the passenger seat and closed the door. "I don't believe I have a word in my vocabulary to describe him."

Joyce shrugged. "Do you want justice, or is his raping you one of those incidents best forgotten?"

"I would love to hang him from the nearest tree by his balls. What do you have in mind?"

"Talbot has raped another student. The desk sergeant was upset when a colleague of mine appeared and helped him write the report. I have a copy, but if it goes before the police complaints board, her career prospects go down the drain. Those misogynistic arseholes will slap his wrist and ask if she was a good fuck. The only penalty he will pay will be a few rounds in the pub. His victim, Ruth Green, wants him charged. I have a friend who is a QC, and she's an authority on rape cases. She turns the incident into a private prosecution out of police control. This often leads to the Director of Public Prosecutions charging the rapists. Are you prepared to help?"

"Let's screw the bastard."

"Great, but it costs a bomb. I'm talking about ten thousand pounds. Do you still want to proceed?"

Maggie laid back in the seat. "What the hell? I'll have to cancel my holiday in Las Vegas. What do you want me to do?"

"I'll arrange for you to see Samantha Harman QC. She will ask some pertinent questions. Answer them, and she'll help you. Lie, and she will kick your backside along the road. Do you have anything relevant to the rape? It might even be something you've forgotten about."

"I have the nighty I wore at the time with his seamen on it. Unfortunately, I gave my knickers to the desk sergeant. God knows what he did with them."

"Excellent," said Joyce. "It costs, but your nighty will be going for DNA analysis. There's no way he can state his sperm was not his. The door when he smashed his way in. Any damage?"

"There was, and I had to pay for the repair."

"Talbot will not know what hit him. You'll be our number two complainant. Let me have your nightie tomorrow. Any questions."

Maggie shook her head. "How will this affect my career in the force?"

"Can it be worse? You don't exactly have a career at the moment. You're part of the shitty jobs team. If you left, no one except Rupert would try to stop you."

"You're right. Let's start the ball rolling and see what happens."

"I'll be in touch when Samantha wants a chat."

"Can I ask a question? Why are you doing this?"

Joyce grinned. "If I don't, who will? I've battled my way to Chief Inspector. Men do not want women in charge. I did the shitty jobs, but with the help of my Rupert, I used the system, and to be fair, you don't ever want to be in his bad books."

"Shit, it's ten o'clock," said Maggie.

"Rupert knows where you are and why. But don't go telling the world. Fighting our corner needs the surprise factor."

"When I had my chat with Rupert, I never in a month of Sundays believed anything would come of it. Thank you."

"I love the fight." Joyce watched as Maggie left and strode into the station. Joyce strolled to her office, smiling with her notes in her handbag.

***

Rupert saw Maggie approach his office and waited for her to enter. "I know where you've been. How do you fancy a proper job? Please question the husband of Joan Dickson, who vanished ten years ago. It's against the odds, but his wife might have returned."

"I'll check the address. Her husband could have moved."

Rupert shook his head and held up the file. "You might need this. It's ten years old, and the world moves on. Oh, take Julie with you."

Bewilderment showed on Maggie's face. "I intended to. You know better than I do. Never visit a witness without a backup."

Rupert said something she did not hear.

"What did you say?"

"Nothing of importance. Fill me in on the details when and if there are any. I suspect it's a dead file."

"No problem. Guv."

He watched her leave and smiled. She'll be a good detective if she stays.

***

Back in her office section, Maggie leafed through the file until she found the page she was searching for. Reading the number as she did, she punched her desk phone buttons.

She almost dropped the receiver when a man answered.

"Fred Dickson, Pass First Time Driving School. Can I help you?"

"Good morning. I'm Sergeant Maggie Bell, Blackwell Police Station."

Fred interrupted. "Don't tell me I've an outstanding speeding ticket or moving vehicle offence. If I have, I don't know about it."

Maggie chuckled. "We send those letters recorded delivery. I need to talk to you about your wife, Joan. The report in my hand says she disappeared ten years ago."

"Before you go any further, I had Joan declared dead a few years back. I have remarried and, as you heard, have my own business."

"There's no problem, Mr Dickson. I want to close the case. Would it be possible for me and a colleague to visit?"

The line appeared dead for about ten seconds. "I suppose it's best to get it over with. I wanted to complete my paperwork this afternoon. How long will it take?"

"No more than an hour. I could be there for one o'clock or later if you prefer."

"One would be fine. What did you say your name was?"

"Sergeant Maggie Bell. I'll be in uniform."

"See you at one, Sergeant Bell."

Fred Dickson ended the call.

Maggie leant on the office door frame. "Julie, get your uniform on and be ready to leave at midday."

"Can you tell me why?"

"Closing a missing person cold case. It's called mundane police work."

Julie's big eyes shone as she spoke. "Better than sorting shit-covered files."

Maggie shrugged. "Police work comes in every shape and size. Be in the carpark at midday. Don't you dare be late?"

"Yes, sergeant."

Maggie commandeered the cleanest of the spare police cars and waited for Julie.

From the driver's seat, Maggie watched Julie as she checked left and right. She sounded the horn, making Julie jump.

The traffic crawled through the town. Once clear of the congestion, Maggie increased her speed.

"Where are we going?" asked Julie.

"Soton, one of a dozen hamlets around Blackwell. Once they had a permanent police presence. A married sergeant could spend most of his service in such a place. They were practical. They knew their patch inside out. Today, we have to examine what they knew. The village copper investigated this case. You should read his comments. They make interesting reading."