The sheriff and Shard met on the temporarily deserted staircase, making sure nobody saw Shard. The tall, shrewd-looking middle-aged man took Shard's ID, checked it, and immediately stood at attention:
"What can I do for you, sir? Is there anything I can help you with?"
MI6 is part of the Royal Army, not the police system. However, when MI6 agents are in action, low-ranking policemen must cooperate. Although the sheriff is higher than a regular policeman, he still ranks as a low-ranking officer.
"This murder case is related to an investigation I am conducting. I need to understand some details about this case and identify the murderer as soon as possible to proceed with the next steps."
Shard said, which somewhat troubled the sheriff: