‘Don’t be. Lively and I both knew what we were getting in to. You’ve done the right thing, Turner. Can’t have Callanach fucking up the investigation. When we arrest a suspect, we’ll have defence counsel crawling all over us if there’s an active member of the investigating team involved as a witness.’

‘Thank you,’ Ava said. ‘Does DS Lively understand that or do I need to speak with him?’

‘You most certainly do not. I told him it was my decision and that you’d argued against it. He’ll probably turn up clutching a packet of chocolate Hobnobs by way of an apology any minute.’

‘You didn’t have to do that, ma’am,’ Ava said, disliking the sensation that the world had turned on its head. She and Overbeck on one side, Callanach and Lively on the other. Who the hell could have foreseen that turn of events?

‘Yes, I did. Comes with the territory. And before you get all teary-eyed and mushy on me, you should know that this is how it works. You have to control those officers and while they need to respect you, they also have to want to follow your commands. I take the shit from them on your behalf and when I get shit from the top brass, I likewise pass it on to you, because I need to keep a good relationship with them. I always did say you were a bit slow with the office politics. Now, get off your self-pitying arse – and please don’t deny it, I can hear it in your voice. You’ll feel much better when you’ve got someone in custody. Or at least I’ll feel better and that’s pretty much the same thing.’

‘Yes, ma’am,’ Ava said. ‘And could I just say I really appreciate the support …’

She was talking to a dead line. Overbeck’s speciality, she remembered.

Pax Graham knocked and entered as she was actively working to pull herself together. Overbeck, as harsh as she was, was right. Lively trooped in at Graham’s rear clutching a packet of biscuits. In spite of everything, Ava had to fight not to laugh when she saw the chocolate digestives in his hand.

‘I forgot the coffee,’ Lively said, depositing the biscuits on Ava’s desk and staring at them, evidently stuck for where to go next.

‘Doesn’t matter. Thank you,’ Ava replied, reaching out and drawing the biscuits a few inches closer towards her, peace made over baked goods as only Lively could. ‘I take it there’s an update.’

‘There is,’ Graham said, perching on the edge of Ava’s desk as Lively took the seat. ‘Gilroy Western’s wife says he travelled here at Jenson’s solicitor’s request as there was to be a reading of the will after the memorial service and he’d been left a bequest. The email didn’t say what, only that he should attend.’