‘What did you make of the sentence?’

Kesey tilted her head at a slight angle. ‘It was always going to be life once we nailed him for the Syrian’s killing. Twenty-five years is a long time whichever way you look at it.’

‘Yeah, but he’ll still only be in his fifties when he comes out unless someone does for him inside. It doesn’t seem long enough to me.’

‘Sentences very rarely do if you know the victims.’

Lewis poured half his pint down his throat. ‘How are the Wellers doing, any news?’

‘Um, yeah, pretty well, all considered. I visited Megan a couple of days back. She’s talking about getting back together with Dale, as much for Lottie’s sake as her own. Although, she says she still loves him. I think she always did.’

‘Do you think it’ll work out?’

Kesey shrugged. ‘Who knows? Maybe, or maybe not, we’ll have to wait and see.’

Lewis drained his glass, burping on putting it down. ‘Is Lottie still oblivious to everything that happened?’

Kesey nodded enthusiastically. ‘Yeah, she doesn’t remember a thing. She went to bed at home with her father banging on the door and then woke up in the hospital. The time in between hasn’t registered. It’s as if it didn’t happen at all.’

‘Well, thank fuck for that. Let’s hope it stays that way.’

‘You won’t hear me arguing.’

‘How’s Jan? Is she looking forward to the holiday?’

Kesey smiled. ‘We all are. I had to change it for somewhere warmer. We’re off to Florida in three weeks. I’d never come back to work at all if it were up to her. She’d love me to be doing something different. Anything but police work.’

‘That sounds familiar.’

‘Yeah, she’s been saying the same thing for years.’

He picked up his empty glass. ‘Any chance of it happening?’

‘None at all. You’re stuck with me whether you like it or not.’

Lewis stood with glass in hand. ‘Are you going to have a proper drink? We haven’t celebrated winning the case yet. Or your pending return to the fold. It’s about time, don’t you think?’

‘They’re giving me a commendation. There’s even talk of a medal. Halliday rang and told me. That must have stuck in his throat.’

‘That’s great, Laura, and very well deserved too. Although you’re a fucking crazy woman. You should have waited for backup. How about a glass of bubbly?’

Kesey laughed, amused as intended. ‘I’ll have half a lager shandy.’

Lewis nodded and smiled. ‘Don’t ever go risking your life like that again. You’re nothing if not predictable. Half a shandy it is.’

MORE FROM JOHN NICHOLL

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