“Perhaps you could stop that now,” he says, and Doggett’s hand does indeed stop. For once. His fingers hang suspended in midair for a moment. Then he places both hands on the back of his head and exhales loudly. His leg starts to jiggle, the squeaking leather of his shoe taking up the rhythm.

“You should be in the hospital.”

“Guy Daley got my ride.”

“He’s going to be all right,” Doggett says, but it isn’t clear who he’s trying to convince. The leg stops. “It looks like they’re done with him, then.” He nods to the back of the remaining ambulance where Oscar is being treated by the paramedics. “What about you and him?”

“No.” It comes out more sharply than he intends.

“I guess I was wrong about him.”

“No,” Tyler says again. “Edna Burnside wouldn’t have asked just anyone to help her bring in the furniture. He was there all right. Sally-Ann told me he was trying to find out what Edna knew about his mother’s death. Hence the blackmail letters.”

“Burnside died from a stroke.”

“He could have rung for help, got her out of the fire.”

“I’m not so sure that would have been doing her a favor.”

Oscar looks across at them and smiles like a little boy.

“Maybe he hated the woman,” says Doggett. “Or maybe he thought she was better off out of it. Anyway, I doubt we’ll prove anything.”

“And Lily?”

“Nah,” says Doggett. “The CPS won’t touch that. Maybe she did kill Cartwright, or maybe Sally-Ann killed him and made the whole thing up. Even if we wring a confession out of the woman, she’s half cuckoo. There’s no way it would stick.” Doggett must realize Tyler’s staring at him, because he turns. “What?”

Tyler grins. “I just realized, you ran into a burning building for me.”

“Oh, fuck off!”

“Just for me.” Tyler lets the smile fade now, so Doggett will know he means what he’s about to say. “Thanks, boss.”

Doggett shakes his head, but he’s smiling now, too. He gets up. “You coming then?”

“Where?”

“We still have to interview the shifty little bastard.”

“I’m suspended, remember?”

“Jordan’ll be here in a minute. She’ll probably crucify both of us anyway. Might as well give her something to shout about.”

Tyler shakes his head. As Doggett turns to walk away he asks, “Why?”

Doggett turns back, suppressing an irritated huff. “Why what?”

“Why did you really want me on this case? Why did you keep me on it even after you found out about me and Oscar?”

Doggett shuffles his feet and looks away. It’s the first time Tyler’s seen the man look uncomfortable about anything. “We don’t need to go into all that now. Take a few weeks off and let Jordan sort everything out. When you get back we’ll talk.”