The man on the floor struggled, but the uniform cuffing him was twice his size and easily flipped him over and onto his feet. The young man stared at the officer and stood still. Kelly looked around. Six arrests had taken place, none Tyrone. The suspects would now be loaded into vans and the police would have twenty-four hours to interview them under caution.

She looked for wounds on any of the apprehended men’s hands; there were none. They all had the hallmarks of hardened criminals: unfazed at arrest, resistance, arrogant stares and silence.

The forensic team arrived.

She looked at her watch. Ormond’s threat was either just that, or he’d forgotten. He’d said 5 p.m. to get some answers for him, but that deadline had come and gone and he hadn’t bothered her. It was Friday night and he’d probably gone home early to start his weekend, or that was what she hoped.

They all needed a break. She’d ordered Rob home to check on Mia. Tomorrow was the weekend, but during a murder investigation, time became irrelevant. However, they still needed to look after themselves. She didn’t expect any of them back in the office tonight, except Emma Hide, who was working the late shift. The interviews of the men apprehended at the flat today would probably take place tomorrow now, as lawyers would have to be found for all of them. She was looking forward to getting to Ted’s to spend some time with her loved ones. She also needed a shower.

Chapter 35

Kelly walked wearily to her car and called Johnny, who confirmed they were all waiting for her at Ted’s cottage. The last thing she wanted was to be an honoured guest, but sometimes it just worked out like that.

She felt faint butterflies in her tummy. The last time she’d met June and Amber was in the summer, when she’d finished a particularly tricky case. With Florida and work, they hadn’t found time to see each other since then. Both her half-sisters had busy lives. June and her partner ran a chocolatier business called Silk; they’d expanded to London and Edinburgh and had been featured in a piece in the Sunday Times. Amber was a primary school head teacher. They were both successful women, but, most important for Kelly, they didn’t take themselves too seriously. They had a buoyant and easy relationship with their father, despite their problems with their mother. It had been hard on all of them. In her line of work, Kelly saw plenty of families ripped apart by substance abuse.