Chapter 7

Night clung to Mount Thomas.

It had threatened rain most of the afternoon. But, the clouds had cleared just before dusk. No rain.

And thus, no relief from the Summer heat.

It was getting late. A little after ten o’clock.

Yet, it was still almost thirty degrees Celsius.

Rostered to work back, Joanna sat at her desk in thought. Constable Joanna Parrish was worried.

She had telephoned ‘The Paragon’ Café earlier, but had been unable to speak to either Savannah or Rebecca – Sergeanbt Tess Gallagher was working back too, and that had been a surprise. Alone with her thoughts, the twenty-five year old former ‘Miss Victoria Police’ gazing at the front door to the Mount Thomas Police Station. Joanna sighed. She could no longer concentrate on her paperwork, Teresa Annette Gallagher was an unknown factor – ‘Acting’ Sergeant Robyn Taylor and Senior Constable Maggie Doyle had accepted Constable Joanna Parrish’s illicit relationship with the former prostitute, but would the thirty year old blonde Divorcee?

Joanna knew that both Savannah and Rebecca would be coming through the front door any minute.

What could Joanna say to Tess...? Savannah Hamilton-Smythe and Rebecca ‘Becky’ Campbell – their notoriety was no secret, for all of the policewomen at Mount Thomas, knew of the two former prostitutes, as they did, Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon’s vendetta against Savannah. Joanna had no real idea what to do? She’d been unable to warn Savannah and Rebecca. And it appeared, that Tess was going nowhere – Sergeant Tess Gallagher once again pre-occupied with the yearly audit of the Property Store.

Closing her eyes, the young policewoman uttered a sigh.

Quite suddenly, the former ‘Miss Victoria Police’ smiled to herself. Unexpectedly, her thoughts had returned to what had happened at Savannah’s farmhouse a week earlier – Constable Maggie Doyle in the bath with Savannah. Joanna opened her eyes. She pushed her paperwork to one side. Had that really been ‘Acting’ Sergeant Robyn Taylor too...? The kinky Manageress of ‘The Paragon’ Café had thoroughly ‘fucked’ both Robyn and Maggie. And then, Joanna had joined the fun. It now seemed so surreal. A dream. A fantasy. Joanna Louise Parrish could scarcely believe what had occurred. She doubted that Tess Gallagher would be as forgiving – it had been Sergeant Tess Gallagher who’d been Constable Joanna Parrish’s mentor in recent weeks. Self-confident and often far too outspoken for her own good, ‘The Slut’ as she’d been christened, had clashed with her new ‘Officer in Charge’ more than once since her arrival at Mount Thomas. Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon had openly stated that the brunette was not wanted. But, it had been Tess who’d soothed over Tom’s ruffled feathers. So, Joanna felt guilty. She knew, that she should have told Tess of Savannah...

The smiled disappeared from Joanna’s face. She sat back comfortably in her chair – her dark eyes still fixed intently on the front door. Reaching up, she tugged at the sleeve of her uniform shirt. As usual, Joanna had neatly-rolled her shirtsleeves even shorter – a fashion trademark. She began to toy with the collar of her shirt. She could hear Tess in the Property Store.

Her options were simple. She could tell Tess Gallagher everything...? Or, she could take a chance that Tess finishes the audit before Savannah and Rebecca arrive - there was of course no guarantee that Sergeant Gallagher would leave the Mount Thomas Police Station even if she did finish what she was doing...?

Joanna cursed. She tugged at her shirt collar again – what would Tess say when she found out about Savannah...? What would she do? Would she report Joanna to the ‘Officer in Charge’...?

And, what would Tom Croydon do if he was to learn about the illicit relationship?

Lesbianism was still taboo. Whilst he seemed to tolerate Maggie Doyle’s open bi-sexuality, Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon had chosen to turn a blind eye to ‘Acting’ Sergeant Robyn Taylor – there had been enough gossip about Mount Thomas to suggest that Robyn and Maggie were ‘sleeping’ together, but Tom ignored it. And, what about Inspector Monica Draper and Inspector Russel Falcon-Price...?

The former ‘Miss Victoria Police’ looked up. Silently she stared at the ceiling as if taking her gaze away from the front door would ensure Savannah and Rebecca never arrived – she couldn’t help but wonder now, what Sergeant Tess Gallagher might do if she was to learn of what had occurred at the former prostitute’s secluded farmhouse a week earlier?

Would she punish both ‘Acting’ Sergeant Robyn Taylor and Senior Constable Maggie Doyle too...?

Joanna closed her eyes. She uttered yet another muffled sigh. Her thoughts turned to Savannah and Rebecca – what would Tess Gallagher do about the two former prostitutes...?

Teresa Annette Gallagher was ambitious. She’d been the protégé of Inspector Russell Falcon-Price, but that done her no favours when it came to Senior Sergeant Tom Croydon. Nor had it helped in respect the newly-appointed ‘Divisional Inspector’ – Inspector Monica Draper had an agenda of her own. She’d played Tess off against both Tom and Russell. And, she had displayed some hostility towards the other policewomen at Mount Thomas, favouring ‘Acting’ Sergeant Lindy Schroeder and Senior Constable Rochelle de le Rue from St. David’s Divisional Headquarters, rather than Robyn or Maggie...?

Constable Joanna Parrish bit her lip. She knew that she was overthinking the situation – nonetheless, the twenty-five year old brunette couldn’t help it. Her mind raced. Seated in her chair, she could feel herself trembling with worry. Tess could be officious. She knew that, And, the thirty year old had a tendency to be outspoken and critical of others - sometimes emotionally withdrawn and aloof, Teresa Anne Gallagher could be particularly hard on her fellow female police officers at Mount Thomas – more so then Tom Croydon. Nevertheless, she could also be kind and gentle. Divorced, she sometimes had a surprising innocence in her manner.

Opening her eyes, Joanna looked back at the front door. There was little she could do now...? And, she knew it – Joanna Louise Parrish owed Sergeant Tess Gallagher a debt and that had been playing on her mind for several days. Tess had treated her with courtesy and understanding, when many of the other police officers at Mount Thomas had been utterly contemptuous of the new policewoman!

Joanna glanced up at the ceiling again.

Sergeant Tess Gallagher was still in the ‘Property Store’ – Joanna had been caught out by the older policewoman’s decision to do the audit. No doubt, Tess had offered to work back in order to soften Tom Croydon’s hostility towards her...? But, that had not helped Joanna.

What made it worse, was that Joanna of all the policewomen at Mount Thomas, had befriended Tess – both were new to town, and despite the best efforts of Maggie and Robyn, they’d both experienced a few teething problems with their new ‘Officer in Charge’...