‘I agree,’ Lee added. ‘I say that anything coming from Charlotte Miles can’t be trusted. And I’m beginning to have my doubts about DS Warr.’

Up to now, Jack had been trying to avoid a confrontation, but Lee had just crossed a line.

‘If you have something to say, DI Lee, say it! Or do you need DCI Hearst to fight your battles for you?’

Lee ignored Jack, turning to Gifford for support. ‘He’s been meeting Charlotte Miles in secret. Did he tell you that? She calls and he goes running.’ Then to Jack: ‘There’s something going on and we demand to know what the hell it is. This isn’t just protecting an informant; this is withholding evidence. This is collusion.’

‘It’s control!’ Jack growled as his temper almost got away from him. ‘I have to make her put helping us above instinctively protecting the most important person in her life. And I’m doing that by making her think that I’m taking risks too. So, if she only wants to speak to me, that’s fine. And, if she wants to meet alone with me in the middle of a field, that’s fine too. I’ve never withheld case-relevant information . . .’

Lee opened his mouth wide as if something had just occurred to him. ‘You fucking her, Jack?’

Jack launched himself at Lee, landing one solid punch to his jaw that sent Lee tumbling backwards into Oaks. As Lee righted himself, Oaks held on to him long enough for Gifford to step in between and bellow, ‘Stop!’ In the heat of the moment, his Midlands accent came to the fore. ‘If this is the waaay it’s going to be, one of you is leaving my station, never to darken my door agaiiin?! You, Eamonn? Jack? ’Cos I am not having thiiis! I’d tell you to take it outside, but we haven’t got tiiime for you children to have your schoolyard scrap. We were discussing which of my officers to put in harm’s way and if that isn’t deserving of your attention, you can all fuck off!’ Gifford gave the room ten seconds of complete silence, his fierce glare daring anyone to break it. ‘DI Lee, did DS Warr tell me that he’d met Charlotte in private? No, he didn’t. DCI Hearst told me, after DCI Ridley told her. And DS Warr, put your thinking cap on and come up with an alternative to making DCs Bevan and Oaks into targets for murderers, because that, son, is not happening.’

The conclusion to this shambles came from an unexpected source, as Mason stepped forwards. ‘De Voe’s expecting occupants at the Yardleys’ house, so that’s what we need to give him. I’ve done numerous undercover operations. Why don’t I go in with DC Bevan? I can keep her safe, Joe. You have my word.’