‘How did you get here this morning?’ Adrian asked, being careful not to mention the fact that they had left from the same place.

‘Matt swung past my place and picked me up.’

‘Oh. OK,’ Adrian said, uncomfortable with the fact that this annoyed him.

Chapter Six

Imogen was still trying to figure out DI Walsh. He was charming, and he genuinely seemed nice, but there was something false about him. It was the disguise of someone pretending to be happy, or at least OK. She wanted to get to know him better. From what she knew about DCI Mira Kapoor, she didn’t trust easily and for her to bring him in from another division meant that he was probably on the up and up. Imogen tried to remember a time when she wasn’t so distrusting; it had been a while.

She watched Walsh and Kapoor through the interior window; they were talking, DCI Kapoor had her hand on Matt Walsh’s shoulder, consoling him about something. She wished she knew how to lip-read, even though that was a massive invasion of privacy. She just couldn’t get the measure of him and she wasn’t sure why it was bothering her so much.

Adrian reappeared after going outside for a cigarette. She had given up and it was clearly annoying him. He was the one who gave up first, and she was the one who talked him back into it. The truth was, though, that she hadn’t felt much like smoking since her mother died; her own mortality was suddenly playing on her mind. Her life seemed to be forcing her to make some big changes at the moment, why not at least have one or two of her own choosing?

‘Anything?’ he asked.

‘What do you think they are talking about?’ She nodded towards DCI Kapoor’s office.

‘Not you,’ Adrian said. ‘Why do you care?’

‘I can’t figure him out, that’s all.’

‘What makes you think there’s something to figure out?’

‘We’re detectives, that’s our job.’

‘He’s a nice guy, let him be. If there’s anything we need to know, then we’ll find out.’

‘Are you tired or something?’

‘I’m supposed to be going to see Tom tonight, but he’s cancelled on me. I’m a bit pissed off, that’s all. I had hoped things would change now that piece of shit stepfather of his is gone but if anything, I am seeing him less,’ Adrian said.

‘He’s a full-on teenager now, you need to let him have his space,’ Imogen said, wishing there was a way she could help, but she knew better than to get involved in Adrian’s complicated relationship with the mother of his son.

‘I had space and ended up having a baby at sixteen years old; I want something better for my son.’

‘Don’t let him hear you say that.’

‘That’s not what I mean, and you know it. What are you doing tonight?’

‘Nothing,’ Imogen said, her eyes shifting to the floor. ‘Home alone, again. Elias has asked me to meet my brothers, but I don’t think I can do it.’