She spent hours last night trying to work out what to wear, trying on different outfits. In the end, she opted for the pantsuit she uses for interviews. But when she tried it on this morning she realized she looked too smart. She compromised by losing the jacket, only to discover that left her with no pockets. Where would she put her mobile, her notebook, her keys? The only thing she had that was vaguely suitable was a Cath Kidston bag but it’s too big, and far more conspicuous than she’s comfortable with. She remembers the look the Denham girl gave it. The same look the girls at school used when they looked down at her shoes. She can’t understand why Tyler gave Denham such an easy time of it.

DS Adam Tyler. She can’t work him out. One minute he’s completely oblivious, failing to offer her a lift home even though he knows she doesn’t have a car—she’d had to walk all the way to Hope for the train last night, and then wait for over half an hour—the next he’s being supportive and encouraging, offering to pick her up, including her on the interview with Denham.

He’s not aggressive like Daley, but she wonders if that wouldn’t almost be better. She can handle the Daleys of this world. It’s more like he just doesn’t think of her at all. Doesn’t even notice her. Like just then, when they got out of the car and he was too busy staring after that hulk of a fire officer to notice that she was waiting for instructions. How can she make an impression on a man who doesn’t even see her?

She places her elbows on the desk and buries her face in her hands. Maybe she should just go for that dog-handler’s job after all. At least dogs only bite you; they don’t humiliate you first.

She sits up and wipes her face with her hands. She’s being ridiculous. She has a head on her shoulders, she needs to use it. She can’t expect Tyler to spoon-feed her all the way. She needs to prove to them she belongs here.

And she knows just how to do it. She hesitates, though. If she pulls this off, it will make Daley look bad. Then she shrugs to herself. It isn’t as though he can make her life any harder than it already is. She picks up her giant floral bag and slips out of the incident room.