When he gets to the office, the first person he sees is Guy Daley back from his convalescence. He’d forgotten the man was due back today. They manage exactly two words between them.

“Tyler.”

“Daley.”

And that appears to be that. Still, at least it was civil. Sort of.

Rabbani’s at her desk. She greets him with a somewhat less civil, “Where the fuck have you been?”

“Morning, Mina. How are you?”

Rather than answering she gives him a look, raising those shaped eyebrows of hers into an arch.

Tyler suppresses a smile. Since gaining the Detective moniker, she’s grown into herself. DC Rabbani is a far greater force to be reckoned with than PC Rabbani ever was, and that’s saying something.

“Now look,” she says, forgetting her irritation with him, or parking it at least. “I think I found something.”

He grabs an empty swivel chair and Rabbani calls up the relevant files and outlines the cases to him, the connection she thinks she’s made. He listens and allows that there could be something in it. But it’s thin. Still, he’s not going to dismiss her theory out of hand.

“Okay,” he says. “Good.” Her back stiffens, perhaps it’s the unexpected praise. “Carry on, then.”

“What?”

“It’s your case, look into it. You know what to do.”

“I just thought . . . I mean, don’t you want to . . . ?”

“Come on, Mina. You’re a detective now, you don’t need hand-holding. Just keep me up-to-date on progress.”

It’s better if they work separate cases for now. For one thing it will increase their chances of getting a result and, for another, he has the feeling that the more he distances himself from Rabbani, the better it will be for her professionally. He tries not to think of the real reason he’s keeping her at arm’s length. The reason he’s been keeping everyone at arm’s length, including Paul. There are things we need to talk about . . .

“Look,” he goes on. “You’re a capable police constable, better than that, you’re good. We’re a team, sure, but there’s no need for us to both work the same case until we need to. Dig a bit deeper and if you need my help, you know where I am.”

Her mouth opens but then she closes it again without speaking.

“Right, I’ll leave you to it then.”

“But . . . ?” Rabbani turns on her chair. “Where are you going now?”

“There’s something I need to look into, and then I have a lunch appointment. You can call me if you need me.”

She looks as though she wants to argue further, but in the end she lets it go and turns back to her screen.

Tyler pulls out his mobile and holds the number 2 until the speed dial clicks in. There’s no answer at the other end, just a curt answering machine message. “I need to see you,” he tells the machine. “Tonight. Usual time, usual place.” When he hangs up, he sees Rabbani watching him. “Dentist,” he tells her, not caring that even Guy Daley would be able to see through that one. Rabbani certainly can.