She remembers that Sandra has the morning off and decides to buy some flowers to thank her for the meal last night. Plus, a walk round the village in the sunshine will do her good.

A taxi takes her swiftly to Kingskerswell and drops her on the main road, next to the Co-op. She pops in to buy flowers, then heads to Sandra’s house.

The curtains are open in the front window, so Freya decides Sandra must be up and rings the bell. The door opens, and Sandra exclaims happily when Freya presents her with the bouquet of tulips.

‘Thank you, my love. Robin not with you?’ she asks, glancing behind Freya.

‘No, he’s on an errand,’ Freya replies vaguely.

Sandra escorts her inside. ‘Tea, coffee? These are gorgeous, let me find a vase.’ Sandra bustles around her kitchen, making the requested cup of tea. ‘I have some biscuits here, too. Come, sit. Sit.’

They both take chairs at Sandra’s kitchen table, all signs of the dinner last night cleared away. Sandra places two mugs of tea in front of them, plus an already opened packet of chocolate digestives. Freya takes one gratefully.

‘So, does your work often take you on trips down to where your boss grew up?’ Sandra asks. She has a smile on her face, bluntly asking a question she knows the answer to.

‘No,’ Freya replies. ‘But Robin wanted the company, and I needed a break.’

‘Hmm,’ Sandra says. ‘Sure there’s nothing going on between the two of you?’

Freya returns the smile. ‘No. Not at all. We’re just friends.’ But Freya remembers the misjudged kiss last night and can’t stop a slight flush making her cheeks turn red.

‘You must be a good friend,’ Sandra comments, taking another biscuit. ‘Robin’s fussy about the people he hangs out with. Always has been, even when he was a kid.’

‘Tell me about him,’ Freya can’t resist asking.

Sandra laughs. ‘From what I see now, much the same. Always serious, always taking the weight of the world on his shoulders. Had a real sense of right and wrong and fairness, so it made sense that he went into the police force. And he and Finn were as thick as thieves. The two of them were always together, even though they were so different. Robin was sporty, into rugby and football and cricket. Finn was the clever one. But I’d often see them kicking a ball around together or working on their homework. I guess you could say they complemented each other, and that’s why they worked so well.’ Sandra has that twinkle in her eye again. ‘Why do you think you and he work well now?’

Freya dismisses the question. ‘Because he’s in charge,’ she says.