Chapter 1

Rhonda sat back.

Sergeant Chris Matthews entered the small Watchousekeeper’s Office with the new roster.

Constable Rhonda Hamilton, however, knew already what her shifts were to be for the next fortnight.

And, she was not happy.

Once again, she was rostered to work as the ‘Watchousekeeper’ for the next two weeks...

“Sarge...?” the twenty-five-year-old blonde protested with a sigh.

The policeman hesitated. He knew what the policewoman was about to say.

But it didn’t make it any easier,

“Sergeant Matthews...?”

Rhonda had already expressed her dissatisfaction with being constantly rostered for the Watchhouse.

But, he’d really had no choice – Senior Sergeant ‘Killer’ Caldwell was the ‘Officer in Charge’ of the ‘Uniform Branch’ at Avondale Heights, and he had directed Constable Rhonda Hamilton remain working as ‘Watchousekeeper’ for the foreseeable future,

“Constable...?” he replied.

“It’s just not fair, Sarge...?” she protested,

“Another fortnight as ‘Watchousekeeper’ huh...?” Rhonda hissed.

She had been the first female police officer to transfer to the ‘Uniform Branch’ at ‘The Heights’ – Constable Rhonda ‘Butch’ Hamilton however, was not the only policewoman working ‘General Duties’ as both ‘Trainee’ Constable Diana Lawson and ‘Trainee’ Constable Sonya L’Estrange had been ‘seconded’ there after their ‘graduation’ from the ‘Police Training Academy’ at Glen Waverley, but they were not on strength at ‘The Heights’ just prely supernumeries,

“When do I get to work the van...?” Rhonda asked.

It was a question she’d asked Sergeant Chris Matthews before...

“I’ve been working the Watchouse for almost a month now...?”

Chris nodded in agreement.

It had been more like two months but he said nothing.

“I mean...” added the young policewoman with a sigh.

Pausing, she cleared her throat,

“I’ve done nothin’ but work the Watchouse since arriving at ‘The Heights’...?” she reminded him.

“I know...” agreed the policeman.

He’d been putting together the rosters for the Avondale Heights ‘Uniform Branch’ for months and knew her roster intimately...

“I’ve been the ‘Watchousekeeper’ ever since my transferring, Sarge?” Rhonda added.

Sergeant Chris Matthews turned.

He’d pinned the new roster on the noticeboard and was about to head home at last.

He felt a little uncomfortable. He always did around Rhonda.

Chris was well aware that Rhonda was bi-sexual. That was why she’d been christened ‘Butch’ and ‘The Dyke’...

“S-Sarge...?” she prompted.

The policeman nodded again.

It had only been a week since Constable ‘Butch’ Hamilton had walked in on ‘Trainee’ Constable Sonya L’Estrange giving him a ‘blow job’ - his ‘indiscretions’ with the new ‘trainee’ policewoman were no longer a secret,

“It’s not up to me...?” he explained apathetically.

“But, ain’t you the ‘roster sergeant’...?” snapped Rhonda.

“I mean, the two new girls are working the ‘divvy van’...?”

“I know...” Chris answered. That was different and Rhonda knew it.

Diana and Sonya were both attached to the Avondale Heights ‘Uniform Branch’ for further operational experience – the middle-aged policeman knew that Constable Rhonda Hamilton should’ve been working the ‘divvy van’ as well, for she was stationed there permanently...

“But, as I told you awhile back, it’s not up to me, Constable Hamilton, is it?” he continued with a shrug.

“So, who is up to, Sergeant Matthews...?” enquired the policewoman...

“You know as well as I do...” he replied. Rhonda uttered a muffled sigh.

“Senior Sergeant Caldwell...” Chris then reminded her.

Standing in the open doorway between the foyer and the Watchousekeeper’s Office, he tugged annoyingly at his shirtsleeve,

“Senior Sergeant ‘Killer’ Caldwell says you’re to work the Watchouse till further notice, Constable...”

The chauvinistic ‘Officer in Charge’ had been less than happy with the thought of female police officers.

It was one thing to have the ‘Women Police’ Office upstairs, but quite another thing to have the ‘cunts’ like Rhonda working ‘General Duties’ for him downstairs...

“You know as well as I do, Butch...?” Chris muttered.

‘Killer’ had made it obvious to him that he wanted her only working the Watchhouse and nothing else.

And, it was no secret that he wanted her transferred back to the Russell Street ‘Women Police’ Division too.

There was a pause in the conversation. Chris cleared his throat.

The police radio crackled.

Located above the door, there was a battered loudspeaker that was connected to the radio...

“He wants rid of me, doesn’t he...?” suggested Rhonda. The policeman reluctantly nodded.

From where she sat at the watchousekeeper’s desk, Rhonda could see ‘Trainee’ Constable Diana Lawson.

The attractive twenty-two-year-old blonde stood at the far end of the front counter, just out of sight of Serfbgeant Chris Matthews...

“He wants rid of all the policewomen?”

Along with both Rhonda and Sonya, she’d been rostered to work the Nightshift.

Senior Constable ‘Johnno’ Johnstone was ‘In Charge’ – all three policewomen knew what that meant.

‘Trainee’ Constable Sonya L’Estrange was working the ‘divvy van’ with him.

Diana had been doing paperwork. She had little else to do on the Nightshift so far.

And, it had been Senior Sergeant ‘Killer’ Caldwell who’d also directed that the policewomen work the Nightshift together.

It almost appeared that he wanted to segregate them – keep them working together and out of his presence,

“You know as well as I do, that you’re to work the Watchouse until further notice, Butch...?”

The training syllabus required the ‘trainee’ policewomen to work the ‘divisional van’ and there was nothing ‘Killer’ could do about that.

However, he felt under no obligation to offer Constable Rhonda Hamilton the same opportunity.

“Why...?” queried Rhonda.

The police radio crackled again - another routine radio call.

Sergeant Chris Matthews turned to return to the Sergeant’s Office...

“Why do you think...?” he replied after a moment’s hesitation.

‘Trainee’ Constable Diana Lawson continued to listen in on the conversation.

But she remained discreetly out of sight – Sergeant Chris Matthews had no idea she was there,

“He detests policewoman...?” observed Rhonda.

“I suppose...” conceded Chris...

“Well...?” sighed the blonde policewoman.

She sat back in her chair.

Senior Sergeant ‘Killer’ Caldwell had once scolded her over her relationship with Constable ‘Juicy Lucy’ McIntyre.

That had been humiliating. But his almost psychotic dislike of policewomen went further than that and she knew it,

“I know ‘Killer’ dislikes policewomen, Sarge...?” she continued finally.

Diana toyed with the collar of her pale blue uniform shirt and shook her head slowly as she continued to listen in.

She wore the new uniform.

In contrast to Rhonda, who still wore the older-style white policewoman’s uniform shirt.

“But, that’s nothing new...?”

Discrimination was an everyday experience for most female police officers.

“But, you’re a ‘dyke’...?” responded Chris with a hint of disdain...

“S-So...?” queried Rhonda.

Sergeant Chris Matthews glanced towards the front door of the police station.

He avoided the policewoman’s icy stare.

Rhonda’s piercing green eyes were focused on him intently and he didn’t like it.

He’d wanted her to work the ‘divvy van’ but had been ordered otherwise by ‘Killer’...

“Don’t act so innocent, ‘Butch’...” he responded.

‘Trainee’ Constable Diana Lawson took the opportunity to join the exasperated Constable Rhonda Hamilton in the small Watchousekeeper’s Office, catching him by surprise - he glanced at her for a brief moment and collected his thoughts,

“Sarge...” acknowledged the ‘trainee’ policewoman.

She smiled at the middle-aged policeman,

“You know as well as I do...” Chris explained, ignoring the ‘trainee’ policewoman for the most part now...

“Senior Sergeant Caldwell is from the ‘old school’ – just like me I suppose, Constable Hamilton, you see?”

Diana sat beside Rhonda and said nothing...

“You’re a lesbian...?” he reminded Rhonda.

But it was obvious that he was uncomfortable with the whole subject of her sexuality.

‘Killer’ openly disliked lesbian police officers. But he utterly detested lesbians even more.

More than once, he’d described Constable ‘Butch’ Hamilton as being no better than a prostitute.

And, as far as the ‘Officer in Charge’ knew, Rhonda was the only lesbian in his ‘Uniform Branch’...

“And, I’m sleeping with one of the girls from the ‘Women Police’ Division upstairs too, is that it, Sarge?”

“Exactly...” confirmed the policeman.

More than once, ‘Killer’ had commented that lesbianism was illegal.

He’d even quoted the ‘Crimes Act’ to Sergeant Chris Matthews when discussing the policewoman.

“He has it in for me because I’m a ‘dyke’ huh...?”

“You hit the nail on the head, Constable Hamilton...” confirmed Chris with a nod.

The other policewoman remained silent.

Diana reassuringly placed her right hand on Rhonda’s left thigh under the desk – Chris couldn’t see it.

Rhonda tugged at the collar of her white short-sleeved uniform shirt and muttered an obscenity under her breath...

“Just give it a little time, Constable...?” Chris suggested,

“It’s not fair, is it...?” Rhonda sighed.

“Has he not heard of the ‘Equal Opportunities’ Act...?” asked Diana.

It was a rhetorical question.

“I doubt it...” replied Chris.

Sitting with Rhonda, Diana carefully slid her hand between the blonde’s thighs.

“It’s just not fair, Sarge...?” Rhonda repeated - the policeman shrugged.

“I transferred to ‘General Duties’ to get experience, you know?” Rhonda added indignantly.

“Life’s not fair...” Chris responded.

It was obvious that he was also uncomfortable with what they were discussing.

Constable ‘Butch’ Hamilton had caught him getting a ‘blow job’ from ‘Trainee’ Constable Sonya L’Estrange.

Nevertheless, he knew it was unfair to roster ‘Butch’ as ‘Watchousekeeper’ only...

“There’s nothing I can do for the moment, you know that...?”

Rhonda had wanted to work the ‘divvy van’ ever since transferring to the ‘Uniform Branch’...

“Just give it a bit more time, Butch?” Chris advised – the restrictions ‘Killer’ had placed on the rostering ‘Butch’ were beginning to make it hard for Chris,

“S-Sarge...?” Diana now enquired.

She glanced at Rhonda before looking back at Chris - Chris hesitated for a moment.

“I’ve worked the van...?” the ‘trainee’ policewoman observed...

“Diana works the ‘divvy van’ and so does ‘Bluey’ L’Estrange...?” Rhonda added.

‘Trainee’ Constable Sonya L’Estrange and ‘Trainee’ Constable Diana Lawson were in fact taking it in turns to work the van with Senior Constable ‘Johnno’ Johnston on the Nightshift.

“There’s nothing I can do...?” Chris repeated with a sigh.

Constable Rhonda Hamilton licked at her moist lips.

Diana had slipped her hand beneath her uniform skirt.

And, she began to caress at her ‘pussy’ – Rhonda closed her eyes and offered a sigh.