‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Kim raged. She didn’t need Ted to tell her she could do her job. She knew she could.

Ted sat back and sipped his coffee.

‘Why the hell would I do something so stupid, Ted? I came to you because I knew you’d help me or that I could manipulate you.’

‘But why would you think that?’ he asked, dumbfounded.

‘Because I’ve always managed to do it in the past.’

‘Name one time,’ he challenged.

‘Only one?’ she said. She’d got dozens.

‘We’ll see,’ he said, sipping his drink.

‘Okay, there was that time when I told you that I was going to kick shit out of Tanya Smith if I had to spend one more minute with her in Fairview. I got back and she’d been moved for her own safety. I know it was you who sorted it,’ she said smartly.

‘You were ten-years-old and Tanya Smith was fifteen and had been at Fairview since she was a toddler. You had just been returned from foster home number two. I knew you weren’t capable of violence for no reason and suspected she was taunting you and making your life a misery. That’s why I called Fairview and told them you would benefit from a short spell on your own.’

Damn him, that’s exactly what had been going on. Tanya had decided that to gain entry to her own room Kim had to pay Tanya the meagre amount of pocket money gifted to them by the state each week. Refusal had earned her a split lip. How the hell had Ted known? Okay, he’d got lucky that time but there were plenty more examples of how she’d played him over the years.

‘How about that time I told you I’d spent my last few quid to buy the new jacket you asked me about? I lied. I stole it.’

‘You were thirteen and just back from your time with Erica and Keith. The minute you left I called Fairview and advised them not to let you go shopping alone for a while as you were shoplifting.’

Kim paused. Yeah, they had watched her like a hawk after that.

‘So, you see, my dear, there are times you think you’re pulling the wool over my eyes and you’re really not. So, let’s be clear.’

Kim couldn’t help the smile that formed on her lips. Not many people were a match for her but even now in his late sixties he gave it a bloody good try.

He continued. ‘So, you’ve asked for my help and this is how it’s going to work. We’ll talk a bit. I’ll ask you a few simple questions and we’ll see how much we have to work on.’

‘There’s really nothing to work on,’ she insisted.

Barney sneezed, loudly.

‘My thoughts exactly,’ Ted said, smiling at the dog.

‘Traitor,’ she said, tapping his head lightly.

‘Okay, start by telling me the things that have pissed you off today. Nothing to do with the case you’re working, aside from that, what’s rattled your cage?’

‘Just today?’ she asked.

‘Yes. You have to remember I’m sixty-nine years of age. I have limited time.’

‘Funny,’ Kim said, narrowing her eyes. ‘Okay, chronologically: being unable to drive myself to work; having a new team member foisted upon me, but he’ll be gone by the end of the week so that’s really not a problem. Being told that I’m not pushing my detective constable enough or encouraging her to develop. Having to apologise to my boss for doubting him on the last case. Feeling like my team expects something of me that I just can’t give – and that was just by lunchtime.’

She looked up to see Ted smiling at her ruefully.

‘No, Kim, you’re right. There’s nothing there to work on at all.’