Kernan drummed his fingers on the desk. “The men won’t like it, you know that, but as far as I can see we don’t really have a choice. There’s no one free on AMIT except her. I’ve checked locally, and of the usuals I know Finley’s in Huddersfield, Smith and Kelvin are still tied up on that shooting last week in Shepherd’s Bush . . . And she’s got a mouth on her, I don’t want her creating a stink. She as good as threatened to resign if she was overlooked again.”

“She’s one of these bloody feminists, I don’t want any flak from that angle. We’ll give her a trial run, see what happens, but if she puts a foot out of line we’ll have her transferred and get her out of our hair. Agreed?”

Kernan nodded and slapped Tennison’s file closed. “I’ll get her in to see you, and I’ll break it to the men.” He pressed a button on his intercom and requested Tennison’s immediate presence.

“DCI Tennison’s in court today, sir,” his secretary replied.

“Hell, I’d forgotten . . . Let everyone know I want her the moment she comes in.”

Jane Tennison was lucky for once. The jury was out by two-fifteen and she was away. Still upset by John Shefford’s death, she drove straight to the building site where Peter was working.

Peter was in his hut, talking to one of his workmen. Jane held herself rigid and waited until the man was gone, then rushed to Peter and sobbed her heart out.

It was a while before she was calm enough to make much sense, but he eventually pieced the events of the day together. He put his arms around her; it felt so good to have him to come to that she started crying all over again.

“You know, from everything you’ve said, this Shefford was well-liked, it must be a shock to everyone. Perhaps you should have given it a few days.”

He bent to kiss her cheek, but she turned away. “You don’t understand,” she snapped, “Marlow will be released tomorrow unless we charge him. If they want extra time they have to have someone to take it before the magistrate, someone who knows what’s going on. If the magistrate doesn’t think there’s enough evidence to hold him, he’ll refuse the three-day lay-down.”

Peter didn’t really care if they released Yogi Bear, but he made all the right noises. At last she blew her nose and stood up, hands on hips.