Without knowing why, he steps into the puddle with both feet. Tramps about in it while Ingrid looks on in disbelief. Driven by a mix of exasperation, weariness and an urge to coax out that smile he glimpsed, he uses his socks to mop up the water. And as he looks up at his wife to gauge her reaction, he slips, landing hard on the linoleum. Dejectedly slumped on the floor, he realises he didn’t even manage to wipe it all up – the seat of his jeans is soaking up the last of the melted snow.

‘Yes,’ he says with a sigh. ‘I meant what I said. And that’s how it’s going to be. This is just . . . a temporary setback.’

He regrets his words the moment they leave his lips. He watches his wife gear up to point out the obvious, that this ‘setback’ is only a setback for her career, not his. But then she hesitates, studying her six-foot-five husband and his soaked socks on the floor.

‘Very mature,’ she says after a pause.

And there it is. The smile she can no longer suppress, the smile that transforms her plain face into the most beautiful thing he’s ever seen.

‘Are you in pain?’ she asks.

He nods.

‘Good!’

He holds out his hands to her in a silent plea for both reconciliation and help to get back up and feels the warmth of hers as she grabs them and pulls. With a groan he gets back on his feet and wraps his arms around her before she can object.

‘My God, I’m stiff these days,’ he says, with his mouth against his hair. ‘Are the kids asleep?’

‘What do you think? It’s half past ten. Are you hungry?’

‘Mmm. Do we have any wine?’

He can feel her nodding against his chin.

I’m going to talk to Smeed, he thinks to himself. As soon as this damn case is solved.

Chapter 52

52

‘Bloody hell!’

Leo shields his eyes with his arm and Karen kills the engine. With her adrenaline still pumping, she angrily stomps up the stone steps.

‘What were you thinking, prowling about out here?’ she yells at him. ‘I thought you were him.’

‘I went outside for a smoke,’ Leo yells back. ‘And just as I was closing the door behind me, I heard a car, but I couldn’t see anything. Why were you driving with your lights off? I was convinced it was that sick bastard. You scared the shit out of me.’

They glare furiously at each other for a few seconds. Then, at exactly the same time, they both relax and let out a chuckle. Sheepish, relieved.

‘Can I bum a cigarette off you before I go inside?’ Karen asks. ‘I’m out and I need to calm my nerves.’

‘Sure thing, freeloader.’

‘How is she?’ Karen asks after taking a deep drag.