“I feel useless, boss,” he said, and there was a rawness to the words that made Logan sit still and take notice. Tyler was looking down into the footwell of the car, his voice just a notch or two above a croak. “You want the real reason I don’t want to go? I feel useless. Like… I’m this fragile thing, just there to be looked after. Like suddenly I’ve got this lump on my bollock that means I’m not capable.”

“Were you ever capable?” Logan asked, then he flinched. “Sorry, force of habit,” he said. “You’re not useless. Nobody thinks you’re incapable, Tyler.”

“You do though, boss. You all do,” the DC replied. “I’m getting sent away on the train while you go on your own to talk to some headcase who might’ve murdered four people. Two of them kids. And I’m supposed to… what? Sit there feeling sorry for myself? Admire the scenery? How is that being useful, boss?”

Logan sighed and stared ahead through the windscreen. There were still a couple of hours of daylight left, but it was on the wane, and Glasgow’s red sandstone was looking more grimy by the second.

“I’ll be home in plenty of time for the surgery, boss. It’s two days away. I’ll get on the train first thing tomorrow, no objections. Just… let me stick around tonight, eh? Let me be useful.”

“Look… I get it,” Logan said. “I do. Believe me, when it comes to throwing yourself into your work to the detriment of everything else in your life, you’re talking to the bloody master. But it’s the wrong choice. Believe me, I speak from experience.”

He puffed out his cheeks and went back to staring ahead. When he continued speaking, there was something distant about him, like his mind was somewhere far away.

“You think it’s helping. The job. You tell yourself it’s important. Because it is important,” he said. “You think it’s good that it’s taking your mind off all that other stuff that’s going on, whatever that might be. But it’s right to think about that other stuff. It’s normal to worry, and stress, and shite yourself, and everything else you’re going through. That’s how you deal with it, Tyler, no’ by burying your head in the sand. You face your fears, and you deal with them.”

Tyler sat in silence for a few moments, contemplating this. He nodded slowly, like the DCI’s words were gradually starting to make sense.

“I see what you’re saying, boss. Wise words. Definitely something to think about,” Tyler said, then he clipped his seatbelt back into place with a thunk.

“What are you doing?” Logan asked.

Tyler grinned. “Train left two minutes ago, boss,” he announced. “Looks like you’re stuck with me.”