Chapter 6: Apologies & Suspicions

"Well, I'm very sorry Mr Gillstrom. It's most unfortunate that you got caught up in this. Isn't it Commissioner?" The Mayor, seated behind the large desk in her office at City Hall, looked across at Brown with a furious scowl.

The Commissioner looked uncomfortable. "Yes, of course mayor. I do hope, Mr Gillstrom, that you will accept the police department's apologies. And those of Jungle Jane as well."

Jane was standing by with her arms folded looking every bit as uncomfortable as the Commissioner.

"Well, I'm sure it's no one's fault," Gregg smiled. "Mistakes are made sometimes. This criminal is obviously very cunning. I'm sorry I couldn't help more. I didn't remember anything though. Nor did Ms Connor." Maxine gave the same regretful nod.

Jungle Jane looked embarrassed. The Commissioner looked squashed. Chief O'Hara looked puzzled by the whole affair. The Mayor gripping a paper coffee cup in her hand crushed it in frustration. For the first time Gregg noticed Mayor Dorothea Reynolds as more than a sober suit and decided that she was worth noticing. True she must have been almost fifty but she had taken care of herself. She'd not bothered with surgery or botox but the lines that she did have simply gave character to her face. She'd gained a few pounds down the years but somehow she carried the extra flesh well. Gregg found himself developing a less than civic interest in the holder of the office of Mayor.

Maxine noticed Gregg's appraising look. "No. Quite," she said, as keen to distract Gregg as she was to get the two of them out of City Hall. "It's just unfortunate that we got caught up in whatever the thieves had planned. You've obviously got a lot to discuss we'd better leave you to it."

After Maxine and Gregg had left the office. The Mayor sat drumming her fingers on the desk. "Well what next after this farce? Any more terrific plans to apprehend these villains? Or were you hoping that your magician friend might persuade them to disappear?"

"No Mayor," Jane apologised. "But I think I have some clues to follow up."

"Well get on with it. You were supposed to be apprehending the villains not getting trussed up with some more victims. I am really needing some results soon. Do you have any idea how much the police overtime cost for that exercise?"

"I have the figure here, Mayor," Commissioner Brown began.

Dorothea's withering look stopped him in his tracks. "A rhetorical question, Brown," she said.

"Ah," said the Commissioner, embarrassed as the Chief, Jungle Jane and himself took their leave. "Still at least Jane managed to save Ms Leon from the thief's attentions."

"Indeed, Commissioner," Chief O'Mara replied, "even if she didn't manage to save herself. Has anyone spoken to Ms Leon since this farce? After all her help we've got nothing to show for it. She must think we're complete fools and I'm not sure she's wrong."

"I'm sure she understands," Jungle Jane said. "I spoke to her afterwards and her main concern was that I hadn't been hurt." Jane still found it slightly ridiculous talking of her alter ego in the third person.