Page 6 of Traitors Gate

‘I suggest, Chief Superintendent, you forget the day job for a change. Go home and spend some time with Beth and the children. Just make sure you’re back at the palace in time to collect the State Crown and Sword before returning them to the Tower. Because if they’re not safely back in place by this time tomorrow, it might become your permanent residence.’

• • •

‘Why are you home so early, caveman?’ asked Beth when William strolled into the kitchen. ‘Have you been sacked?’

‘No, promoted,’ said William. He smiled as the expression on Beth’s face changed when he told her his news but was taken by surprise by her response.

‘Snap!’

‘Snap?’ queried William.

‘The director of the Fitzmolean has resigned, and the chairman has just phoned to say he hoped I would apply for the position.’

‘That’s wonderful news,’ said William, taking his wife in his arms. Although he’d never raised the subject since she’dresigned as deputy director, he’d always hoped Beth would return to the Fitz as the museum’s director.

‘I haven’t got the job yet, Chief Superintendent.’

‘The board won’t make that mistake a second time,’ said William confidently.

‘To be honest, I still haven’t decided if I really want the job,’ said Beth.

‘You must be joking!’

‘Don’t forget I’m earning almost twice as much as a dealer as I would if I returned to the Fitz as director.’

‘Then it’s a good thing I’ve been made up to Chief Superintendent.’

‘And there’s the Christina problem,’ continued Beth. ‘Now she and Faulkner are divorced, she relies on fifty per cent of our company’s profits to keep up her present lifestyle.’

‘Don’t lose a moment’s sleep over that woman,’ said William, his tone changing. ‘If your positions were reversed, she’d only do what was in her best interest.’

‘You seem to forget, Chief Superintendent,’ countered Beth, ‘that when I was sacked from the Fitzmolean, Christina was the only person who was willing to back my fledgling company.’

‘And very well she’s done out of it!’ William reminded her.

‘No more than she deserved,’ snapped Beth, ‘which is why I consider her not just a partner but a close friend.’

‘When it suits her. And if she’s such a close friend,’ suggested William, ‘she’ll be delighted to hear you could be the next director of the Fitzmolean. Don’t forget she’s on the board so will have a vote. Anyway, she knows only too well you’ve always wanted the job, so it will hardly come as a surprise. And I repeat, when push comes to shove, she’d happily shove you out of the way if it suited her purpose.’

‘But—’ began Beth as the kitchen door burst open and three hungry children came charging into the room. They took their seats at the table, mouths open like chicks in a nest expecting to be fed.

‘You’ll never believe what Peter and me have been chosen to do,’ said Artemisia, bringing them both back down to earth.

‘Peter and I,’ said Beth.

‘… we’ve been selected by our head teacher to represent the school in a national essay competition and—’

‘… the winner,’ continued Peter, ‘will visit Disneyland in Paris and stay overnight at a hotel.’

‘An hotel,’ said Beth.

‘And have tea with Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse,’ proclaimed Artemisia.

‘What subject have you chosen to write about?’ asked William.

‘We haven’t decided yet,’ admitted Artemisia.

‘We were rather hoping, Dad,’ continued Peter, ‘that you might come up with some ideas. With all your experience of catching criminals—’

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