“And you know it’s true. Anyway,” she said to Dan, “we don’t see enough of you, so I was glad when you called. I’ve been wondering how the new junior partner’s working out.”

“Maxim? He’s great. Sleep deprived—his girlfriend’s just given birth to their first—but he knows his stuff and he’s keen. Actually, I’m pretty impressed with all five of my staff.”

“So, taking over Henry Matthews’s practice is turning out to be a good move?”

“Given how much existing business it came with, I’d have to be a pretty poor sort not to say yes.”

His smile showed a dimple in one cheek that she always found endearing. “I’m reliably informed,” he added, helping himself to another canapé, “that you haven’t exactly broken with the law yourself.”

Her eyes showed surprise, but he could see that she’d picked up the segue and was intrigued by it. “Why? Do you need help with something?” she asked carefully.

“Not in the sense you’re meaning it,” he replied, and pulling out a chair, he sat down at the table. “I’ve been thinking about something you told me the last time I was here, and it prompted me to go and have a chat with an old friend, ex-colleague, of yours.”

Regarding him knowingly, she said, “Are we talking about Detective Chief Inspector Terence Gould, by any chance?”

“We are. I met with him last week to discuss something I’d like to set up here in Kesterly, and I wasn’t surprised when he suggested I should talk to you.”

“This is sounding interesting,” Graeme commented, coming to set a tureen of perfectly chilled gazpacho on the table.

“Isn’t it?” Andee commented dryly. “No disrespect, Dan, but Gould usually sends people to me when he wants to get them out of his office.”

Dan laughed. “He told me you’d say something like that, but yours wasn’t the only name he mentioned—we’ll come on to the others, most of whom you’ll know. For now, Gould confirmed my own thoughts that there are few better placed than you to help get the project launched.”

Andee’s eyes widened. “Okaaay,” she responded, glancing at Graeme and clocking his clear amusement. “Are you in on this?” she asked suspiciously.

He held up his hands. “I’m as in the dark as you are,” he assured her.

She turned back to Dan.

Coming to the point, he said, “You know about restorative justice, right?”

She nodded slowly. “Weren’t you running a team in your previous life?”

Graeme said, “You might have to enlighten me.”

Dan explained, “Restorative justice is basically about putting victims of crimes together with offenders to try and come to a resolution that will help both parties to move on.”