Joyce parked in her station car park and waited for Sergeant Bell to pass. 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 walked briskly 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 laughed. "Do you want justice, or is him 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?"

"He raped another student, and the desk sergeant was unhappy when a friend of mine appeared and helped him with the report. I have a copy of the report, but if it goes before the police complaints board, her career prospects, like yours, 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. Ruth Green wants him charged, but we know it will not happen. I have a friend who is a QC, and she is an authority on rape cases. She turns the incident into a private prosecution out of police control. This led to the Director of Public prosecutions continuing the trial in multiple instances. Are you prepared to help?"

"Let's screw the bastard."

"Great, but initially, the cost financially will be high. 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 make you an appointment to see Susan Saunders QC. She will ask some extremely pertinent questions. Answer them truthfully, and she will help. 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."

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

"There was, and I had to pay for it."

"Talbots days are numbered. You'll be our number-two comp[lainent. Let me have your night 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 walked away, no one except Rupert would try to stop you."

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

"I'll be in touch when Susan 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. Then 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 nearly ten o'clock," said Maggie.

"He 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 enjoy the fight." Joyce watched as Maggie left and walked at speed into the station. With her notes in her handbag, Joyse strolled to her office, smiling.

***

Rupert saw Maggie approach his office and waited for her to enter. "I know where you have been. How do you fancy a proper job? I want you to 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. "She'll make a good detective if she stays."

***

Back in her office section, Maggie leafed through the file until she found the page she was looking 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, Stonewall Police Station."

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

Maggie chuckled. "We sent 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, Joan was declared dead a few years back. I have remarried and, as you heard, run my own business."

"There's no problem Mr Dickson. I want to close the case. Would it be possible for myself 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 paperer work 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 is your name?"

"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 looked 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.

"Sonton, one of the many small villages in and around Stonewall. 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 everything that went on in their patch. Today, we have to investigate what they knew. The village copper investigated this cold case. You should read his comments. They make interesting reading."