Thomas turned away and strode to the door.

'Where are you going?' Atta asked sharply.

'Next door to get my kids.' He paused, shot Sam an apologetic look. 'Just so you know, agent, I expect all of you to clear out before I come back.'

He slammed the door behind him.

Thomas saw the headlights through the kitchen window.

The kids were asleep upstairs—they probably wouldn't even remember him carrying them home from Mia's. He should have been asleep too, but for some reason he sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cold tiles across the floor, listening to the refrigerator hum.

He was walking to the door before he heard the timid knock. For a pulse-pounding moment, he realized it could be Neil—but his day had been too long, too traumatic for him to sustain any kind of alarm.

Numb, he simply pulled open the door, saw Sam standing on the darkened porch. She looked drawn, her face framed by too-much-has-happened hair.

'Crazy day,' she said, smiling nervously.

Thomas nodded. 'Crazy day.'

'Can I come in? Are you busy?'

'Look, I really am sorry for ly—'

'People do crazy things,' she said breezily. 'That's what makes a crazy day crazy.'

Thomas smiled, stepped aside so she could come in.

'Besides,' she continued as Thomas closed the door, 'I wanted to apologize for Shelley.'

Thomas turned, regarded her for a moment. She looked tired, yet frenetic around the edges, like someone venturing out on a dubious limb. She looked beautiful.

'You really got the hunger for this one, don't you?' he said.

She smiled, looked at him quizzically. 'Hunger for what?'

'For this case. You really want to crack this case.'

Playful frown. 'That obvious, huh?'

'Would you like a coffee?' Thomas asked.

'Sure. A decaf if you got one. My nerves are fried.'

He smiled, nodded. 'Crazy day.'

Sam cocked her head, smirking. 'Crazy, crazy…'

'Be-fucking-yond,' he said, as he walked to the kitchen. He loved the fact he could swear freely in her presence. He grabbed the glass pot from the coffee-maker, but paused when she failed to keep up her end of their goofy verbal game. He turned. She was leaning against the door frame, watching him, the toe of her left shoe hooked behind the heel of her right.

'Look,' she said. 'This… this isn't right.'

Thomas nodded. He suddenly felt pale and naked in the kitchen light. 'Yeah.'

'Why I'm here. I mean really…' She smiled, then laughed nervously. 'I should tell you.'

'Why are you here?'

'Tomorrow, I'm scheduled to interview this guy, Dr Mackenzie. Someone who worked with Neil.'

Neil. Everywhere he fucking turned, his life's new centre of gravity. Thomas suddenly felt like a fool. For a moment he'd thought she'd returned… well, for him.