Jack returned to London with an empty suitcase and a list of items he needed to bring back with him – top of which were his wellies. He called Maggie from the M40 to ask if she needed anything bringing home for tea – but in truth, he was checking to see whether any stray pregnant couples had been invited over to eat his food and drink his beer. Maggie confirmed that not only were her friends not going to interrupt their evening, but Penny was also out with a friend she’d met at her needlecraft class. Jack ended the call by saying that he’d bring home a takeaway and a bottle of wine – so Maggie was under orders to express enough milk to get Hannah through the night, because this evening she was going to learn how to drink again. He’d be with her by seven.

Jack could have been home by five, but he wanted to detour via the station to catch up with Ridley.

‘How’s it going over there?’ Ridley asked when Jack walked into his office, though he already knew the answer. Gifford had called him the second Jack left for London and bent his ear – again – about the dangers of ruffling delicate feathers.

‘The gaps between burglaries is interesting, sir.’ As Jack spoke, Ridley invited him to sit and then set about making two mugs of tea. ‘These guys were in no rush, doing an average of one or two burglaries every couple of months; then all of a sudden they’re doing one every two weeks. Gifford was getting nowhere fast due to the lack of a pattern, lack of MO, lack of resources. But I think he’s right to assume that this gang is working up to something big before disappearing for good.’

From the squad room, her chin resting in the palm of one hand, Laura faced her computer screen, but her eyes were definitely looking at Ridley. Anik could feel the jealousy rising in his chest and burning in his face. It wasn’t pure jealousy, because he didn’t fancy Laura; it stemmed from being overlooked in general. Anik wheeled his chair across to Laura and stopped at her shoulder, making her jump. He spoke in a spiteful whisper. ‘You don’t always have to fancy someone from this squad room, you know.’ Laura looked him dead in the eyes and told him to fuck off. Which he did.

Twenty minutes later, Anik watched Jack stand, shake Ridley’s hand and head for the office door. Jack paused when Ridley said something, the men smiled, shared a private joke and then Jack left, giving a general wave and a ‘Night all’ to the squad room.

‘What a prick,’ Anik mumbled under his breath.

*