Perhaps the vibe wasn’t so much meeting as disciplinary hearing. With all eyes on Joel. The Major Crime DCI was there with his own inspector and two sergeants. Superintendent Marsden had made it down too. DS Rose was the only one on his side of the table, close enough for their elbows to touch at a time when Joel wouldn’t blame her for making a show of backing away.

Joel was the only one with tea. He had offered it to everyone else but it seemed machine tea had a terrible reputation across the force. Joel wondered if he and the tea now had that in common.

The DCI had been talking. He finished and sat back, his arms crossed, his cheeks glowing a shade of red that had been deepening the longer he talked. He was a squat man. No real neck and thick, hairy arms forcing their way out of a short-sleeved shirt a size too small. He looked like he was battling to control his hands, opting to wring them constantly, a grip that only broke when he was really angry. Which had happened a lot. Joel’s close proximity to a fired shotgun was something he could use – a blessing in disguise perhaps. The DCI had ranted about protocols and standard operating procedures, about the right people for the right job, using the phrase ‘who the hell do you think you are?’ on three separate occasions before ending with a demand for an explanation. So Joel had sipped at the rancid brown water as a way of taking his time.

‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t hear a word you just said,’ Joel said with a shrug.

It seemed the DCI was done. He had no appetite to repeat his speech, and instead directed his glowing cheeks towards Superintendent Marsden to announce that he would be overseeing the search of the offender’s home and all evidence capture. He would also need full reports from both DI Norris and DS Rose before they went off duty and both officers would also need to ensure they were contactable. Marsden said how sure she was that both her officers remained very willing ‘to do what’s necessary’, and at this the DCI huffed, threw his hands up in a gesture towards Joel and said, ‘I think he’s done enough for one day, don’t you?’

Joel reacted like a phrase had finally managed to make it through his damaged ears.

‘Thank you very much, sir. Just doing my job,’ he said, with added cheeriness.

The DCI sat back. And he stared. The message seemed to be that the new centralised investigation team was excused to leave while the old guard of Major Crime would stay and mop up their mess. Joel didn’t move, enjoying an elongated slurp at his foul drink. DS Rose stayed put too. It was Ma’am Marsden that spoke next.