Laura tried to find the words to explain how she hadn’t had a clue what he was thinking. Now she wanted to know everything to make up for the lost time – what she’d done to make him suddenly notice her; what she’d been wearing; what she’d said. The butterflies in her stomach fluttered with delight at the very thought of it. She’d been in love with him for years and for the last few months he had actually fancied her. All those misread situations seemed so silly and childish now.

‘I was interested,’ she said. ‘But I didn’t think you were and I didn’t want to be some dopey cow mooning after you. I really thought you were oblivious to how I felt.’

‘I was. For a long time. I didn’t realise you’d any feelings for me until that night in the restaurant. When you got so annoyed at me for talking about Ellie, then I knew.’

She smiled. She couldn’t bring herself to proper laughter just yet. The experience with Lane was still too raw.

Ray took her hand tenderly and caressed it. He knew it would take a while for Laura to bounce back.

There was a knock on the door and Tom popped his head around.

‘Are we up for visitors?’ their boss asked.

‘Tom, speak to her, will you? She thinks she’s going home.’

The inspector came in and studied Laura. She’d regained a smidgen of colour in her cheeks but still looked ghostly compared to normal. It wasn’t the only noticeable difference. The inspector could see a shadow in Laura’s expression that hadn’t been there before, a doubt in her eyes, usually so open and friendly around those she knew and loved.

‘They’ve treated my head wound, boss. We still have work to do.’

‘No, you don’t.’ Tom pulled over an extra chair. ‘Legs back in the bed, Detective.’

Laura chewed her lip, but swung back onto the bed, allowing Ray to pull the blankets up over her legs.

‘They’re beautiful flowers,’ the inspector said, noticing the large bunch of lilacs placed in a vase on the bedside table. ‘An admirer been in, huh? That chap you were going out with last year, was it?’ It was his turn to smile as Ray and Laura both flushed crimson.

‘I jest,’ Tom said, not cruel enough to embarrass them for any length of time. ‘Laura, that was some blow you took to the head. They need to keep you under observation for thirty-six hours. I just had a lovely little chat with the hospital administrator. Very helpful chap. So, even if you checked out of here, you wouldn’t be allowed back to work.’

Laura sighed. Then she remembered.

‘I’m so sorry about June. Ray told me. I can’t believe it. How is Sean?’

Tom swallowed.