‘Yeah. Today, I think I’m going to need it.’

Dani headed on foot the short distance across Colmore Row towards HQ. The conversation with Scholz had all but disappeared from her mind, and she wasn’t just feeling nervous, as she headed through the revolving doors at the main entrance; she felt like an absolute outsider. A week had passed since she’d been suspended from duty. She’d not spoken to McNair or Baxter or any other senior officer since then. Now she was back for her first formal disciplinary meeting with the West Midlands Police Professional Standards department.

That fact, at least, was a good first sign. The IOPC had the ability and discretion to carry out such investigations themselves, and certainly would for the most serious matters of police misconduct. The fact that the IOPC had passed the investigation back to Professional Standards at her own force was therefore an indication that they didn’t feel their clout was warranted.

Or was it just that the case against Dani was so cut and dried that they didn’t want to waste resources?

She’d been given the option of taking a colleague or other representative from the Police Federation into the meeting with her but chose not to. She had nothing to hide, and wouldn’t hold back. She’d tell whoever was there exactly what had happened the day Dean Harland lost his life.

She headed over to the reception desk, the moment feeling all too similar to her first day back on the force all of twelve days before. Except this time she didn’t recognise either of the two security guards on duty behind the front desk, nor did they recognise her.

She waited in the reception area, wondering who would come to fetch her this time, hoping that no one she knew would pass by and notice her there.

She should have known that wouldn’t happen.

After she’d been waiting for barely sixty seconds, DS Easton walked through the revolving doors from the outside, coffee cup in one hand, sandwich in the other. Dani was caught in two minds as to whether to look away, and hope he did the same. She didn’t. She was staring over at him as he caught her eye. He grimaced. At least that’s what Dani thought the look was, it certainly wasn’t a smile.

‘Hey,’ Dani said.

‘Dani,’ Easton said, taking two steps closer to her as he approached the security gates.

‘You’ve been ignoring my calls,’ Dani said.

Easton stopped and hovered. Dani could tell he was hugely uncomfortable.

‘I get it,’ Dani said. ‘McNair’s scared you off, right? Told you that if you talk to me, if you go anywhere near me you’ll be in the shit too.’

He didn’t say anything to that, just rubbed his neck nervously.