While Liz pan-fried some salmon fillets and cherry tomatoes, Matt called Will. ‘He’s offered to do a couple of hours as well, so that none of us gets bored or overtired, considering we aren’t exactly used to it any more. He said if we cover until four in the morning, he’ll wait there until around seven.’

‘It’ll be just like the old days, won’t it?’ she said and frowned. Some of the old days had almost killed them both. She saw from Matt’s expression that he was thinking the same. She smiled. ‘I’ll rephrase that. It’ll be nothing like the old days!’

* * *

Maybe it was the thought of doing observation again that made Will think of Billie Briars. That, or the mention of Grove. Upon whom his wife still looked benevolently. Poor misunderstood victim. Pah! What a line he must have fed her! Just like Billie Briars.

Young Billie was everything the do-gooders loved. Supposedly the product of a broken home, beaten by his father and ignored by a drunken mother, he had a baby face with an angelic expression that wouldn’t have been out of place in a white surplice. But instead of a hymn book, Billie preferred to carry a knife, and that cherubic smile concealed dark thoughts that no social worker could even imagine. Billie was pure evil. But what an actor! Billie was able to turn on the charm, and the waterworks, whenever they were needed. Will’s darling Kate wouldn’t have stood a chance, and she wouldn’t have been the first to fall for his “little boy lost” routine. He had been given more chances than anyone could count, but his luck finally ran out one dark night in a stinking alley, when he encountered Will and his crewmate.

Will and his mate had been called to a fight outside a pub in Fenfleet. When they arrived, the offending parties appeared to have sorted out their differences and were nursing only a few minor wounds. They had hung around for a while to ensure it didn’t flare up again. Just as they were leaving, a middle-aged man, red-faced and out of breath from running, called out that there was something going on down a service alley at the back of the parade of shops. He had heard a cry and the sound of a scuffle but was too scared to go down there himself. The two policemen had found Billie in the middle of attacking two terrified women. He went down for rape, attempted rape, unlawful possession of drugs and assault with an offensive weapon.