Walking off and leaving them was a hollow victory. Without meaning to, she had distanced herself even further. Lacking guile herself, she was unable to deal with it in others. It never occurred to her that, to all intents and purposes, it wasn’t Smith easing her out of the team. She was easing herself out.

She found a quiet place in which to stand and think for a while, at the end of which she tracked down North’s whereabouts and set off, passing the time by considering how to phrase her questions without making herself sound wetter than the Atlantic Ocean.

North was in her quarters and Jane dithered for ages, passing and re-passing the door at least twice. Fortunately, not all the corridors had cameras and she could only hope no one was watching her extremely suspicious behaviour. On the third pass, she surprised herself by knocking, hoping all the while that North would, by now, be elsewhere.

North opened the door. Before she could stop herself, Jane blurted, ‘Why Smith?’ which wasn’t what she’d meant to say at all.

North folded her arms. ‘You’re a man down. Teams consist of four.’

‘But why Smith?’

‘No idea. I’m afraid I’m not privy to the thoughts of senior managers.’ Her tone implied that was because those thoughts weren’t worth her effort. ‘It’s always been felt your team was weak – numerically speaking. Smith is an experienced officer who will remedy that deficiency.’

‘But she has no team experience.’

There was a long pause. ‘Come in.’

North’s quarters were just like North herself. Immaculate. Perfectly in order. Well presented. She did not ask Jane to sit down. Nor did she give Jane a chance to speak. ‘I don’t know Smith at all. Our paths have never crossed. I know some people don’t like her. Women usually. Men don’t seem to have a problem.’

She paused for Jane to become aware of her unspoken opinion of men and their judgement, but refrained from mentioning she knew several department heads had refused to take Smith before she had finally found herself a home in Recruitment and Training. Now, North suspected Smith had outstayed her welcome there, as well, and had volunteered for Team 236 before she was asked to leave. There had always been rumours about Smith and the methods she used to get what she wanted, but what she could possibly want with this team was, even to North, a mystery.

She said nothing of this to Lockland.

‘I don’t know what to tell you, Lockland. Parrish and Farrell are a pair of idiots but they will come to their senses. They all do sooner or later. My advice is to step back, keep your distance and let events take their course.’ She stopped and then said quietly, ‘This situation has the potential for a great deal of damage, Lockland. Don’t let that damage be done to you.’