Hidden in the Blood: A Novel of the Terribly Acronymed Detective Club (Book 5)

Chapter Twenty: Joanie, Sunday

"Sergeant Mara, can I have a word with you for a minute?"

Joanie had to put the brakes on her speedwalk to her desk; she was a little late this morning, and for a minute she thought Superintendent Baker was going to reprimand her for it. The commander of the detachment was beckoning her from inside his office. She entered and saluted him, hoping he wouldn't hear her rapidly beating heart.

"Have a seat," he said, gesturing to one of two chairs in front of his desk. 

She sat and faced him. He was a typical functionary of the RCMP, that was, old, white and male. He was good at his job, however, and she had no complaints about his leadership style. He ran a tight ship, and he was fair. That was about all she could ask for. He was in uniform as she was, and he made an impressive figure with his silver hair and his big hands. He had kind eyes, though, and she hoped that would work in her favour, whatever he had to say.

She waited for him to speak, smiling in encouragement.

"As you know," he said, "We think very highly of you here. You did our detachment proud back in August and boosted its reputation nationwide."

"Thank you sir," she said.

"And that's why," he went on, "we want you to be the face of this detachment."

Joanie blinked in surprise. "I don't follow, sir."

"Well, we've been informed Corporal Natychuk is moving east, to be closer to his aging parents. I think he's from Ottawa."

"Oh, well, he'll be missed."

"Indeed. He's a well-respected officer both in the detachment and in the public. That's why it's important for his role as media relations officer to be filled with someone equally respected, who can communicate facts with competency and brevity. We think that person should be you."

Joanie finally understood, and she nearly fell over in her chair. "You want me to be the media relations officer for the detachment?"

"Yes."

Joanie opened and closed her mouth, trying to find the words to say, and she knew she would be doing a terrible job if she'd already been in the role.

"I take it this is a surprise?" Baker asked.

She nodded. "I'm afraid it is, sir. I've never envisioned that path for me. To be honest, I've been studying for the detective exams."

"You can still take the detective exams and perform this role. I think you'd make a fine detective."

"Thank you, sir."

"Here's where I'm coming from on this," Baker said, leaning forward with his hands clasped on the desk. "You've been behind a desk for a while, and I know you're itching to get back out in the field. I think it might be ideal if you eased yourself back into the field, maybe part-time, with a partner, and the rest of your time be available for media appearances, say if a crime of note has been committed in the area, or there's a pile-up on the highway and people want to know when they can get rolling again. You'd also be the point person for telephone and email inquiries from the press."

"Oh, well, okay, the thing is... I don't think I've ever been in front of a camera before."

"You'd get all the training you'd need. If I may be frank, Sergeant Mara, you're a very photogenic person, and I think you'd make a calm and trustworthy presence on camera."

Was he flirting with her? It was hard to tell, and the last thing she wanted to do was acknowledge it and embarrass them both. "There are other photogenic people in the detachment, sir, even other women, if that's what you're implying, such as Constable al-Rashad--"