“No to all of it. No, I am not making a great sacrifice because I’m playing martyr. I couldn’t be any less of a martyr; I’m just not a shirker. No, I am not going to hold this over your head forever, and fuck you for suggesting I would.”

“I didn’t—”

“You thought it somewhere deep down, so shut up. No, I am not going to ask for anything in return, and also no, I am not going to refuse anything in terms of appreciation, such as you buying me another very large meal here, because this isn’t a transaction. This is—this is us, Aaron. You and I working together as seems best. I take this to the Tribune, you endeavour to shield me from the consequences, we do our best to bring Colthorne down. Grammar.”

“But you’re trying to protect me,” Aaron said. “I know you are.”

“So what if I am?” Joel demanded indignantly. “We’d literally just met when you chased down that bastard Sefton and saw off your cousin for me. Why can you do it and me not? Or, to put it another way: Are you the only one who gets to do things for other people, and nobody can do anything for you? Because I’ll give you one guess who that sounds like.”

“You are the most aggravating man who has ever walked the earth,” Aaron said with feeling.

“Thank you; I try.”

“And you are probably right,” he made himself go on. “If this becomes public knowledge Colthorne is finished as a copper, no matter what the courts may say, and you probably can make that work better than I could. It’s still taking on a great deal. May I say I’m grateful?”

“No. I don’t want your gratitude, your thanks, or your obligation,” Joel said. “I simply want wholehearted admiration of my courage, integrity, and intelligence, which can be demonstrated by a good shagging at any time.”

Aaron started to laugh. There was so much to worry about, and so much to be done, but the bubble of bewildered joy had to come out and he couldn’t help it. He put his elbow on the table and his hand over his face, and he shook with laughter even as Challice returned and demanded what the joke was.

***

A LOT HAPPENED AFTER that in quite a short time. Mostly, Joel went to see Mr. Tony Wilson, editor of the Tribune. The conversation touched on a number of potentially sensitive issues, including how little either Aaron or Joel wanted to be part of the story. DDI Colthorne’s response was agreed to be unpredictable.

The Tribune took two days to consult its lawyers, and then, late on a Tuesday evening, Aaron went to the unofficial chief of the Big Five, Superintendent FP Wensley, at Scotland Yard and let him know the front page the Tribune would be running the next day.

***