Tapping lightly on DCI Worrow’s door, Ruby awaited a response. A furtive shuffling noise from within signalled her presence, but she seemed in no hurry to respond.

‘Ma’am, it’s me, Ruby,’ she said, slowly opening the door. She frowned as she caught sight of DCI Worrow with her back to her, her shoulders hunched. But she refused to be put off and slid inside before closing the door behind her.

‘I’m busy,’ Worrow said. Her words muffled with tears. ‘Come… come back later.’

Ruby didn’t move. She softened her voice, having left her judgement at the door. She was all too aware of the pressure DCI Worrow would have been under to have made her snap. It was hard getting to the top so young and not something Ruby envied. ‘I’ve been to see DI Downes,’ she said. ‘They’re letting him out later today.’

Plucking a tissue from her pocket, Worrow dabbed her eyes before turning around. Their puffiness told Ruby she had been crying for some time. She hated seeing her colleagues at each other’s throats.

‘Really?’ Worrow said, having contacted Ruby for an update earlier in the day.

‘He’ll be fine once he gets a bit of rest. He…’ Ruby paused, mentally assembling her words. ‘He’s asked me to apologise for his behaviour. He’s been very stressed. Finding out about Cheryl and details of the case hitting the press just made things worse.’

‘I know all about stress,’ Worrow said. ‘I’m being held fully responsible as to the direction that this case is taking. I promised results, and now another woman is dead. Then there’s the press. If we can’t trust our officers to keep this information to themselves…’ She wrung the tissue between her fingers, trying but failing to keep calm. ‘I mean, how many times have we told them? This is sensitive information. Under no circumstances are they to discuss it outside of work.’

‘With all respect, Ma’am, I don’t believe it came from one of our officers.’

‘Yes, well, we’re the ones getting the blame,’ Worrow said. ‘And the only way to make things right is to catch this killer in his tracks, before someone else dies.’

Ruby nodded, her hands clasped behind her back. Worrow always made her feel like she was walking on eggshells, and it could not be any more different to her relationship with DI Downes. ‘We all feel the same way and we’re working around the clock. DI Downes is going to smooth things over with Phillip Sherman when he gets out. Hopefully he can find out where the leak originated.’

Worrow’s face thawed a little. ‘As for the way he spoke to me, has he told you about that?’

‘From what I gather things got very heated on both sides, Ma’am,’ Ruby said diplomatically. ‘But it’s important to keep morale up as we work through the investigation.’

‘It’s all right for you,’ Worrow said. ‘You have the respect of your team, and Downes is your right-hand man. But if I died tomorrow, I’m sure that team of yours would be singing “ding dong the witch is dead” before my body was put in the ground.’

Ruby frowned. It was unlike Worrow to be so maudlin. But it wasn’t as if she could put her arm around her and say that everything was going to be OK. Besides, she had a point. She was never going to win any popularity contests. The higher the rank the more distant you were from the rest of the team.

‘You’ve always been a stable leader,’ Ruby said, choosing to focus on the positives. ‘We respect you for that. But it’s important we keep a united front if we’re to focus on the task in hand.’ Ruby caught Worrow’s expression of mild annoyance and remembered who she was talking to. ‘Sorry. I don’t mean to tell you how to do your job. I can only imagine how difficult it is, working with such tight resources and dwindling budgets. Then throw a celebrity into the mix and it becomes overwhelming for us all. But we will get through this and I’ll use whatever measures necessary to find our suspect and bring them in.’

Worrow straightened her stature. ‘I agree with keeping a strong front, and I’d be grateful if you keep the details of this meeting to yourself.’

Ruby nodded in agreement. She was hardly likely to go back and say she’d seen her DCI blubbing in her office due to an argument earlier on.

‘Tell me, do you think Mason Gatley is involved?’ Worrow said. ‘I read your report. Is another visit worthwhile?’

‘I think Mason’s enjoying the attention but I may have a way of turning that around to our advantage.’

‘Good,’ Worrow said, the primness returning to her tone. Their conversation was interrupted by a ringing telephone. ‘Dammit, I forgot. I’ve got a meeting scheduled. Perhaps we can finish this conversation another time.’

‘Of course,’ Ruby said taken aback by her supervisor’s language. It was another chink in the armour of a woman they called the Ice Queen. Ruby tried to imagine herself in the same position. It only cemented the decision to stay where she was in the ranks. She turned to leave, reminding herself to sort out another visit to Mason.

‘Oh and Ruby?’ Worrow said, silencing her phone. ‘If you’re talking to Downes tell him we’ll keep this morning between us. Draw a line under the whole thing.’

‘Yes, Ma’am,’ Ruby said, before turning to leave. She was beginning to feel like a UN peace negotiator by the time she left.

---

After a quick cigarette, Ruby walked to her office, surprised to see DI Downes sitting in her chair. She cradled the cup of tea Richard had just made, feeling pleased with herself that she had managed to avert Downes from suspension. Had that happened, he would be cracking open the bottle of whisky that she knew he kept in the cabinet in his house. It was very expensive fine malt, one he kept for the worst of emergencies but Ruby was equipped with the knowledge that once he started to drink from that bottle he would not be able to stop.

Such was the history between them: they knew of each other’s weaknesses and learned to tap into each other’s strengths. ‘You’re looking like the cat that got the cream,’ she said, taking a seat beside him. ‘And I didn’t expect to see you again so soon.’

‘Aye, that was a good idea of mine, giving Phillip Sherman a call.’ His eyes glinted in the knowledge that it was Ruby he had to thank.

‘Oh yeah?’ Ruby said, giving him a wry smile as she tipped the mug to her lips.

‘Turns out you’re right. It was one of the housekeepers. Sherman had her followed, caught her accepting a payout from the newspaper that took the report. He threatened to sue the paper, citing slander if they mention his wife by name. Not just that, but he’s going to get in touch with Worrow and apologise for his earlier outburst.’

‘Blimey, how did you manage that?’ Ruby said. Phillip Sherman did not seem like the type of man who apologised for anything.

‘Let’s just say I have my ways,’ Downes said. ‘Mind you, it could be all for nothing if I’ve lost my job. You’ve not seen her about have you? I came in to grovel.’

Ruby paused. She would have loved to have told him about Worrow’s outburst and the fact the woman cried real tears. But she felt solidarity towards her female colleague, despite the fact they did not always get along. ‘I spoke to her on your behalf. She’s gone no further with it. Wants to draw a line under it all.’

Downes’s face lit up in a smile as he clapped her heartily on the back. ‘Really? You’re a lifesaver that’s what you are. A lifesaver!’

Ruby gasped at the display of strength. ‘Steady on, I need my lungs for smoking. Don’t want you dislodging them when we’ve so much to do.’

‘You could be right there,’ Downes said. ‘They’ve tracked down Mason Gatley’s son. He works in a coffee kiosk in Liverpool Street Station. Luddy’s getting the tube over there now.’

‘Not without me,’ Ruby said, shrugging on her harness and clipping her radio back on to her belt.