As he hung up the phone, Hawk glimpsed McGee through the open door, moving about in his office with the gait of a man who is looking for something to do. He felt bad about knocking back the invite of a meal. His staff sergeant’s loneliness was so acute sometimes it was almost solid, pulling down Craig’s shoulders like a rucksack. But he really needed to get home. If he didn’t get the plough on the front of his truck and shift the snow on the trail every morning, it’d close for sure.

Although the snow was looking like it would let up for an hour or two, he wasn’t even sure what kind of a battle he’d face getting up there.

Tess had taken Larry down around lunchtime, and since she’d seen the news she was coming onto him on the phone like Daniel was a child who couldn’t cross the road. Yes, he was okay, yes, he’d be careful, no, they didn’t know who it was, yes he remembered the chicken in the foil wrapper needed eating before it started to rot.

She had been bad over Joe’s death. She still couldn’t talk about it without blubbing. Craig was right. They’d been buddies all right, and Tess had liked Joe. Never got on with Estelle so much, but he thought that was on account of Estelle not being Indian. She was pretty hot on their roots, was Tess. She used to scold Joe for not speaking more Siouan or Cree. Maybe that’s what rubbed Estelle up the wrong way.

He loved Tess, but part of him was looking forward to a night on his own. They had satellite, and since it was going to be late, real late by the time he got home, he figured he could watch a hockey game and have a beer without worrying what the hell time it was. They showed those games all night long. Worth the thirty-nine dollars a month.

He shovelled his papers around the desk and undid the top button of his shirt. It was ten before midnight and the room was still buzzing. But Craig was right. The regular detachment guys were definitely B-Team now. Seemed like the squad from Edmonton weren’t too impressed by the wipe-clean board and the coloured markers, judging by the fact it was back to being white and blank. Daniel pushed back his chair, picked up his jacket and walked over to Craig’s door. He tapped his fingers lightly on the wood. ‘I’m outta here. Need me for anything?’

Craig looked up from a file. Joe’s file. ‘Nope. On you go.’

‘Right. Bye.’

‘See ya.’