I can’t stop fidgeting as I sit at the tall table, waiting for him to arrive. I shouldn’t feel this nervous. It’s not like he’s going to attack me in such a public place. And given the DI is listening to everything at a table in the seating area upstairs, I have nothing to fear.

Yet still my head jerks up every time I hear the door open. I’ve emptied and refilled the small dish of sugar sachets too many times to count. But it is already five minutes after six, and he is yet to show. Is he just running late? Or did he realise who I was and decide to go on his way? Or worse still, is he not our suspect, saw me through the window and decided he didn’t fancy me?

My head is spinning.

‘Calm down,’ the DI’s voice says through the earpiece.

I’ve been told not to react to anything she tells me, but it’s hard not to. I’m about to speak when a voice catches my attention over my shoulder.

‘Amy?’

I look up, confusion descending. ‘Finn? What are you doing here?’

‘I was about to ask you the same question. This isn’t your usual neck of the woods. Do you mind if I sit down for a minute?’

Oh God, what do I do now? The team at the undercover unit warned me that this might happen, but in a million years I’d never expected my brother to show up while I was on assignment. He sits before I can answer, so I shrug.

What’s the suspect going to think if he sees me sitting here with someone else?

‘Get rid of him,’ the DI says in my ear.

‘I’m waiting for a friend,’ Finn continues, oblivious to the panic rising in my throat. ‘We’re seeing the new Star Wars film.’

I nod, keeping one eye on the door.

‘Yeah, he said to meet him in here, but I’ve been all over and haven’t spotted him yet. You don’t know my mate Sam, do you?’

I shake my head, willing him to leave.

‘No, I didn’t think so.’

‘Maybe you should call him,’ I muster.

‘I’m sure he won’t be long. We’ve got ages until the film starts. Hey, you’re more than welcome to join us if you don’t have other plans.’

He’s sweet to offer, but even if I wasn’t in the middle of work, I wouldn’t choose to watch sci-fi.

‘I’m kind of on a blind date,’ I tell him, rolling my eyes.

He stands quickly. ‘Oh, I see. I’m sorry. You don’t think I frightened him off, do you?’

‘He’s probably just running late too, or he’s stood me up.’

He frowns. ‘I can’t imagine why you’d think that. I’m sure he’s just late too. Hey, wouldn’t it be funny if your guy rocked up at the same time as Sam? Hey? Maybe they’re travelling on the same train and don’t even realise they’re heading towards the same place.’

‘Maybe.’

He steps away from the table. ‘I won’t cramp your style anymore. But if he doesn’t show up, give me a call, and you can join me and Sam.’

I nod as he disappears off towards the back of the café, and am relieved when the bell on the door goes again, and I see my date arrive. He thrusts his hand out for me to shake, but I’m already leaning forward to kiss his cheek, and his hand brushes my chest. We both blush, and settle for shaking hands.

‘I’m so sorry I was late. The tube got stuck in a tunnel. Have you been waiting long?’

I wave away his apology. ‘I was early, anyway.’

He sits, noticing I already have a latte in front of me. ‘Do you want another drink?’

I’ve only had one sip, but nod eagerly, thanking him. My head feels like it is on fire. When did it get so hot? He heads off to the counter to order.

‘Just relax, Amy,’ the DI says. ‘We’ve got a good view of him on the brooch-cam and the audio was good when he spoke. You’re doing fine.’

It’s kind of her to be so positive, but I can’t help but feel that he can see straight through me. As he returns with the drinks, he points at my ear. ‘What’s that?’

I frown as I don’t know what he’s talking about.

He leans forward and pulls something hard from my ear. My eyes widen in horror as I see the earpiece between his fingers. It must have slipped out and been hanging there without me noticing.

He looks around, as if expecting a television camera to be suddenly thrust into his face. ‘Is there something you want to tell me?’

I open my mouth to speak, but no words will come out. My mind is blank. How do I explain why I was covertly wearing an earpiece without giving the game away?

‘I’m partly deaf,’ I offer. ‘It’s to help me hear better in this ear.’

But he isn’t fooled as he studies the small device. ‘I know what this is, but the question is: why are you wearing it? Who’s on the other end? What is this, some kind of police sting operation?’ He lifts the earpiece closer to his mouth and speaks directly to it. ‘Come out, come out, wherever you are.’

I snatch it off him, but he doesn’t stick around to hear my feeble explanation, darting for the door and disappearing into the busy street.

I close my eyes and let out a long sigh. ‘Fuck!’

The DI is at the table a moment later. ‘Listen, it happened and there’s nothing we can do about it.’

But I can hear the frustration in her tone, even if she doesn’t intend it.

‘I’m sorry, ma’am. I fucked up.’

‘We know where he lives and we’ll send a unit by to question him tomorrow. It probably wasn’t him, so don’t blame yourself for what happened. It was one of those things.’

I know she is trying to shield me from the pressure she’s under, and she must be questioning whether I’m up to the task. ‘Please, ma’am, don’t bump me from the op. We’ve put in too much groundwork to give up after this. Maybe it would be better not to wear the earpiece anyway. I found it distracting not answering you.’

She fixes me with a stare, as if weighing up my value. ‘I need to get back to the office and update Armitage and the DSI.’

I instinctively reach for her hand. ‘Don’t give up on me, ma’am. If we can move past this, I know we’ll find him. Just give me a second chance.’

But she leaves the café without another word, and I’m left wondering whether my inexperience has just cost us the chance of catching Steph’s killer.