As soon as they where safely inside the Met parking, Lynley broke to a halt, exited the car, and threw the key from his pocket to a startled Barbara.
"Keep the key in your pocket and park the car!"
He yelled, and then
"I'll try to fix things, please join us as soon as possible!"
And with those words he ran off to the elevator.
Barbara stood there for a couple of seconds, dumb folded.
She'd never seen a car before where you didn't need to insert the key into the lock to get it started. Instead, it was enough to keep the key in you pocket, and then you hit the start button.
The car started humming pleasantly. Barbara wanted to faint. She looked around her, and noticed the monitor of what at first look seemed the gps. However, the video look of the display caught her eye, and she realised that she was looking at a computer screen of her surroundings, and also of what was at the back of the car.
Carefully she managed to drive into one of the parking spaces, but with all the new technology and the panic she'd felt it had taken her at least 15 minutes from the moment Lynley had left.
By the time she arrived at the office, it had taken her 20 minutes, and a war seemed to be in full swing.
Winston, standing near the entrance, waiting for her hissed;
"The Guv had made holy hell break loose!"
Barbara wanted to smile, but one look at everyone's faces told her that this was not the case……
She'd run to the interrogation rooms.
The suspect was sitting inside, with a look between confusion and relief on his face.
"Relief?" Barbara thought briefly, "What relief??"
Before turning her attention to Thomas and Emily, who where apparently engaging in a pissing match of sorts.
Both where starting each other down, Emily shouting:
"You're apparently not fit yet to lead an investigation, Inspector! Leaving a very junior officer, of dubious qualifications, to do the first interrogations! You must be insane! I'll have your case brought up again with the board, I will!"
Lynley must have realised she was more upset that she let on, because suddenly he went all calm and superior:
"Well, Superintendent, please do. I know my team have done an excellent job, and sending Winston to do the prepping is standard procedure. If you spent less time sending memos, and more time talking to the officers on the beat, you would know that, wouldn't you?? And besides, you were well aware of the fact that Barbara and I where right behind him. I may not have followed the case form the beginning, but Barbara has, and she's done a good job too! I'll take this up with Hillier, Superintendent. I believe you're trying to usurp a case that is not yours, Ma'am!
Emily had gone white, but stood her ground. She knew that she had to win this one, or disappear…..
"Well, Inspector, we'll see. The Ass.t Commissioner and I enjoy a special relationship, you see." She smiled at him, and her ice cold smile sent shivers down many a spine.
"Well, we shall see. Inspector. In the meantime, I'd like to interrogate the suspect, thank you!"
Lynley made a show off walking calmly and comfortably towards the interrogation room; however Barlow stopped him in his tracks:
"That won't the necessary, Inspector. I've already come to an agreement. Please would you have nothing further to do with the suspect until you speak to the Ass.t Commissioner, and that in an order!"
With that, she just turned, and walked into her office, head held high.
As soon as the door closed, Lynley whispered:
"Barbara, Winnie, my office, NOW!!"
