The next day Constable Davis, well briefed by his superiors, took up his new duties at the Palace. He kept himself aloof from the staff but followed everything with his eyes, everything, including Jade.
She became aware of him when she went to Crystal's apartment after breakfast. He was outside the door and informed her that Crystal was with the Master of Ceremonies discussing the trip. She would be available later.
Jade paid him little attention other than noting the trace of a tattoo where his shirt collar met his neck. Tall and no more than about twenty six, he stood immobile as Jade cast him a cursory glance. Later however she was to take him in at length as she left the Palace for the day on her way to her local, a rough pub with an even rougher clientele. He was coming out of a side door in a leather jacket and jeans, a helmet under his arm.
She was more than a little appreciative as he straddled a big Yamaha bike and gunned the engine. When he roared off past her she watched until he went out the gates and turned into the road. 'Nice,' she thought, 'very tasty.'
When Jade reported for duty the following morning Crystal was already gone, off to Scotland for two weeks, at her grandmother's request. She was to attend a number of events before her time away. Crystal wasn't suspicious of this sudden absence, they'd be off soon enough.
Jade however was a little short of the readies, missing the money she usually made from Crystal. When she went to the pub that night she was a bit skint and looked around for a likely drinks provider. To her surprise Jeff Davis was sitting with a friend of her's, Black Jack, some hard muscle showing under Jeff's black T shirt and very tight jeans. 'Oh my God,' she thought, 'what a hunk.'
She went over and sat down. Jeff ignored her. Jade became a very unhappy girl, her pride dented and ego bruised by Jeff's failure to acknowledge her, even though she knew he'd been eyeing her off just yesterday.
As the night wore on her indignation grew. She wanted to get him alone, tell him off, get the better of him in some way. But this was only a pretence; her motivation was much simpler, she was obsessed with having him.
She imagined his power consuming her. She undressed him with her eyes, stared at the upright snake tattoo on his neck until her eyes hurt, salivated and felt herself grow wet, while he continued to treat her as a vacant space at the table.
After midnight, well oiled with various stimulants, she got up to go and sit on his lap in her best drunken sexual need mode. As she got off her chair, Jeff left. He just got up, waved to the group and walked away through the crowded tables. She watched him throw his leather jacket over his shoulder, pick up his helmet from the barman and go out the door.
Furious, Jade vented her outrage on everyone. It wasn't a pretty sight. Slurring and drooling she climbed with great difficulty up onto the table in her thick laced up boots, knocking drinks, empty glasses and bottles over the other drinkers, all the while shouting at everyone in language that even her friends found offensive. When she managed to stand upright on the table she pulled her skirt up and her knickers down, bent over and mooned the room. She was about to drop her knickers altogether when the pub's bouncers picked her up and threw her out onto the street.
Jeff, sitting astride his bike opposite the pub entrance, watched her land on the wet pavement, still hurling abuse at the bouncers. As he was about to go over and pick her up beginning what was to be a semblance of a relationship, the Police arrived. Jade attempted to stand up but slipped and fell heavily into the gutter. A plastic bag containing a large quantity of cannabis popped out of her jacket pocket and dropped at one of the constable's feet. As the constable bent down and picked it up Jeff's plan fell flat. Jade was put into the police patrol car and driven away.
'Shit,' said Jeff, 'Shit, shit, shit.'
When he reported to his superiors later that night the consensus was that no further contact between Jeff and Jade would occur. The scandal, and it was one, would break very soon, the tabloids' diligent and well paid sources being what they were. On no account was the security branch to be implicated.
As for the Palace, they were in damage control already. It had been decided at very high levels but without reference to her employer, that Jade would resign, take her lumps in court where her previous 'troubled' history wouldn't help but the Palace's role in trying to rehabilitate her would be played up. 'They'd done all they could, given the girl a very great opportunity, etc.'
As for Jade's business relationship with Crystal, that would be denied. If Jade talked she wouldn't be believed. Crystal would leave for her gap year as planned but a heavy public service component in a third world country would now be included. Arrangements would be made over the next couple of days.