She pointed to the coffins. ‘Told that these were a waste of time.’ Her voice vibrated with anger. Her whole body was taut.

‘Jesus, Gill, what’s happened?’

She didn’t say anything, just swung her arm across the desk, sending the coffins flying. Rebus scrambled from his chair, started picking them up, checking for damage. When he looked round, Gill was on her way to the door again, but she stopped, half turned.

‘You’ll find out tomorrow,’ she said, making her exit.

Rebus looked around the room. Hi-Ho Silvers and one of the civilian staff had stopped the conversation they’d been having.

‘She’s losing it,’ Silvers commented.

‘What did she mean about tomorrow?’ Rebus asked, but Silvers just shrugged.

‘Losing it,’ he said again.

Maybe he was right.

Rebus sat back down at his desk and pondered the phrase: there were lots of ways of ‘losing it’. He knew he was in danger of losing it too … whatever it was.

*