‘Nothing, hon. Did you want another tea? I’d better get this one a peace offering.’ He forced a smile towards his daughter but was already moving away. The policewoman had folded her hands across her chest as if she was at ease. Now she opened them and let them fall by her sides as Joel got closer.

‘Tell me you’re not here for me on my daughter’s birthday,’ he growled.

‘That’s how you know it’s important, Detective Inspector Norris.’

Joel gritted his teeth at the use of his work title. Today was about being a father and a husband. He wasn’t due to be an Inspector again until Monday morning.

‘More important than my family? We might disagree on that, superintendent.’

‘We have an opportunity.’ Superintendent Debbie Marsden always seemed to be filled with intensity, today even more so than usual.

Joel glanced at where Michelle still sat with her back to them, her shoulders rounded where she had their daughter wrapped in a hug.

‘Is it an opportunity to destroy my marriage, ma’am? You’ve made a strong start. Would you mind?’ He gestured for the conversation to continue somewhere they would be out of sight. Marsden followed as Joel led her behind where a kitchen area jutted out.

‘How on earth did you find me here?’

‘I’m a police officer. A resourceful one at that, Joel. I can still find people.’

‘Someone squealed me up!’

‘Your neighbour – the one who was out cleaning his car in the freezing cold. Apparently your daughter told him how you were taking her “shooting lasers”. Is that appropriate for a little girl’s birthday?’

The superintendent was naturally a stern woman, tall and broad and built for strength. She wasn’t assigned a specific department or area manager; instead she was tasked with finding efficiency improvements across the whole force. It was a tough job – stripped to its basics, her role was to travel round the county challenging the norm and upsetting those working under it. Debbie Marsden certainly had the right skillset. Now, somehow, he found himself at the centre of her latest project but was still some way from being convinced that it was a good place to be.

‘Appropriate? She’s brilliant at it!’ Joel waved the score sheet that was still in his hand. ‘Top scorer for the yellow team! And damned near the top player in the whole thing. She scares me a little bit, if I’m honest.’

‘Impressive.’

‘It is. And I should get back to her.’

‘We need to bring this project forward, Joel. As I said, we have an opportunity.’