Scott was still grinning. ‘Gamekeeper turned poacher with a vengeance. What’s in it for me? How does it help my client?’

‘I have the inside track. Paula’s never going to trust you with confidential information. But spilling the beans to me? That’s second nature to her. Plus you get all the benefits of a shit-hot investigator on your side at no extra charge.’

Scott shook her head, still unconvinced. ‘It stretches the limits of credibility.’

‘That’s never stopped you before. Come on, you know you want to. If only for the look on Fielding’s face. Think of it, Bronwen – you’ll be dining out on that one for months. Especially when she’s forced to release Tony without charge.’

‘It’s appealing, I’ll admit. But we’d never get it past the custody sergeant.’

‘I thought you liked a challenge?’ Carol’s smile dared Scott.

‘Oh, fuck it.’ Again the flip of the hair. ‘Why not? I’ve not had a ruck with a custody sergeant for weeks. I’m getting rusty. Let me get my briefcase and we’ll go and give them hell.’

They crossed the street side by side like a latter-day Cagney and Lacey. As they were about to walk into the police station, Carol paused and said, ‘There is one thing you should know.’

Scott looked almost relieved, as if this was the dropping shoe she’d been waiting for. ‘What?’

‘Tony and I haven’t actually spoken to each other since the Jacko Vance investigation. I said some pretty harsh things to him. It’s possible he might not be too thrilled to see me.’

Scott smiled like a gratified cat. ‘This just gets better and better.’

47

He stood in the garage doorway and stared at the freezer. He had high hopes of this one. She was, he reckoned, the right raw material for his project. He’d been too hasty, and that had led him into error. He’d been impatient to find the right replacement; he’d forgotten what it took to break a woman in from scratch. Like horses and dogs, it was always easier to work with one that had been taught some of the basics already.