Chapter 4
The first thing that I notice about Sandra when we're making our way to the Eiffel Tower is that she's a lot happier, brighter somehow.
I'm just about to remark about how happy she looks when she asks me a question. "So, what's your new boss called? Are they any good?"
I wasn't expecting that! I don't quite know what to say, it's a little awkward.
I try to get my thoughts together whilst we cross a raod.
'Well, her name is Sasha Miller. She's a DCI. Newly promoted. She's all right, a bit on the grumpy side. She's a dead ringer for that woman who killed her daughter, the tennis case?," I ask. Sandra nods in recognition.
"Well, I swear that they're either the same person or they are related." I finish.
Sandra considers this. I can almost see the cogs in her brain working, trying to sift through this information.
She stops walking. I do also.
"Well, I've got something to tell you. I knew her, Sasha, I mean. She was a young police officer, and she was bloody good. Our paths crossed a couple of times in the job, we became good friends. But then we fell out. Over a man. He was my age, Sasha really liked him... i went out on a couple of dates with him, Sasha got jealous and we argued."
I'm shocked. Very shocked, in fact. I had no idea... this is a surprise. Bloody typical of them t fall out over a man, though!
'Wow.' Is all I can say.
"I'd like to see her again, if that's possible. What are we going to do when you go back to England? I don't fancy staying here on my own..." Sandra worries, her face creasing into a frown.
'Well... what do you want to do? You can come and live with me, if you like?' I ask, hoping against hope that she will say yes.
"I'd like that," Sandra smiles. "I'd like to go back to UCOS, if that's possible. I don't want to push Sasha's nose out of joint, though. That wouldn't be fair." She muses.
'Well... when we get back we could go out for a drink with Strickland, maybe, explain the situation, that sort of thing. Are you sure that it's what you want?' I enquire.
"Yes. Some of the murders that Max and I investigated in the War Crimes unit were horrible, gruesome. I thought I'd seen it all in the Murder Squad but..." she trails off, and shudders.
She clearly does not want to talk about it so I change the subject, asking if we're nearly at the Eiffel Tower. Sandra smiles.
"Yep, we're two minutes away." She answers.
We turn a corner, and the Tower is right in front of us.