‘I don’t know. I don’t think Brian and I are right together. He’s not like you – sex with him is like a boring routine.’

This was something new and it was making Kingston anxious. He certainly had no intention of leaving his wife for another woman – least of all Katie.

‘Now’s not a good time to be having this conversation, Katie.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because there’s a lot to discuss, and it needs to be in private, away from the office.’

‘Tonight then, at mine . . . after work.’

She left before he could answer.

Kingston threw what was left of his sausage roll in the bin, his appetite suddenly gone.

*

Katie quickly typed up an information sheet concerning the phone call from the Tottenham duty sergeant and took it to Murphy. She told him everyone was in the office ready for the meeting, apart from the officers who were still on surveillance regarding the possible jewellery shop robbery in Chingford. He read the sheet, then wrote ‘WDS Tennison to deal’ under the ‘Further action’ box and signed it before going into the office to start the meeting. Katie got the flip chart to write on and stood next to Murphy and Kingston, marker pen in hand.

‘Anyone get anything positive from their snouts last night?’ Murphy asked loudly to get everyone’s attention, but there was no response.

Grim-faced, he went over to Katie’s desk to look at the office duty book, in which everyone recorded their times on and off duty along with brief details of what they were doing and why.

‘I see you all managed to claim a few hours’ overtime for meeting informants – but not one of you has anything constructive to show for it!’

Stanley stuck his hand up. ‘I was given a couple of names, Guv. I ran a CRO check on them this morning – they’re both known blaggers, but they’re in Wormwood Scrubs at present.’

Baxter also spoke up. ‘I had a similar result with a suspect, but he popped his clogs from a drugs OD a month ago—’

Murphy raised his hand for Baxter to stop talking.

‘What bloody use is that to us? I expect you all to get results – not sit in a pub pissing it up with informants giving you a load of bollocks all night!’ He scowled and looked at the Colonel. ‘I authorised twenty quid for you out of the informants’ fund, so what was the result?’

Kingston spoke up. ‘He can’t see his snout until Sunday morning.’

‘I’m reasonably confident he’ll have something for us, Guv – he always proved reliable in the past,’ the Colonel added.

‘Well, you better put the Commissioner’s money where your mouth is. What about the checks on recent armed robberies with the home counties, Katie?’