Angie had that secret little smile on her face as she took off her denim jacket. It was hard for Diane to know how to feel towards her sister. She knew she ought to be glad that Angie looked so much better than when she first moved in. Her skin was less pallid now, her eyes not quite so shadowed, her wrists and shoulders less painfully thin and bony. Anyone who didn’t know them might not be able to guess which sister was the recovering heroin addict.

Yet Diane was unable to suppress a resentment that was there every day now, barely below the surface of their relationship. No sooner had she been reunited with Angie than her sister had started to drift away from her again, and this time it seemed more personal. Would it have been different if she’d found Angie herself, without the interference of Ben Cooper? She would never know.

‘Actually, I’ve got myself a job,’ said Angie.

‘What?’

‘Did you think I was going to sponge off you for ever, Di? I’m going to pay you some rent.’

Angie kicked off her shoes and collapsed on the settee. Diane realized she was hovering in the doorway like a disapproving parent, so she perched on the edge of an armchair.

‘That’s great,’ she said. ‘What sort of job?’

There was that smile again. Angie felt among the cushions for the remote and switched on the TV. ‘I’m going to work in a bar.’

‘You mean you’re going to serve behind a bar,’ said Diane carefully.

Angie looked at her, and laughed at her expression. ‘What did you think, I was going to be a lap dancer or something? Do they have Spearmint Rhino in Edendale?’

Diane didn’t laugh. She tried to force herself to relax. ‘What pub are you going to work in?’

‘The Feathers. Do you know it?’

‘I’ve heard of it.’

‘I’ve done a bit of barmaid work before, so I’ll be fine. A few tips, and I’ll even have some spending money. Aren’t you pleased, Sis?’

In her head, Diane was running through the wording of Police Regulations. Regulation 7 restricted the business interests of police officers and any members of their family living with them, including brothers and sisters.

‘As long as you’re not going to be a licensee, or I’d have to get permission from the Chief Constable.’

She tried to say it lightly, but Angie flicked off the TV and stared at her in horror.

‘You’ve got to be bloody joking.’

‘No.’

‘Your chuffing Chief Constable can’t run my life. So what if he didn’t give permission? What does he think he could do to me?’

‘Nothing,’ said Diane. ‘But I’d have to resign from the force.’

‘Oh, tough.’

Angie bounced back on to her feet and picked up her shoes as she went towards her bedroom. Diane began to get unreasonably angry.

‘Angie –’

Her sister turned for a second before she disappeared. ‘Quite honestly, Di, resigning from that bloody job of yours would be the best thing you could do. And then maybe I’d get back the sister I remember.’