‘You’re on. After this is over, if we’re both here to tell the tale, I’ll take you on a round-the-world cruise and keep you locked in the cabin so I know you’re safe.’

‘Sounds good to me. I could do that. I could spend six months locked up with you and do nothing but eat, sleep and read.’

Will poked her in the ribs. ‘I thought you were going to say sex.’

‘Well, of course, there would be plenty of time for that as well.’

He kissed her and she kissed him back, then pulled away. ‘Come on, Jake’s already up. I heard him banging around in the kitchen and this room is right above it. Besides I don’t want to tire you out. We might need to conserve our energy.’

She jumped out of the bed and dashed into the small bathroom before he could grab hold of her and drag her back to bed, even though she wanted to stay tucked up with Will for ever. When she came out of the bathroom he was dressed and on his phone to Stu. He’d given him an excuse for why he wouldn’t be in Barrow today. Said he had to go to Windermere to work and speak to some of the witnesses up there. He finished his call. ‘Well, that’s him in a mood for another week. Honestly, you would think I did this on purpose just to piss him off.’

‘He just wants to impress you, Will, that’s all. He follows you around like a lapdog. He probably thought you’d take him along for the skive.’

‘Well, I would if we were going to be skiving, but I don’t want to put anyone else at risk. I have enough guilt to last me a lifetime as it is without bringing Stu into the equation.’

‘You know he will be gutted, don’t you, when he finds out what you were really doing?’

‘That might be, but at least he’ll be alive to feel gutted. If I drag him into this I can’t guarantee he’ll still be alive by tonight.’

Annie opened the door. ‘Come on, I’m starving. I wonder if Jake has any Coco Pops.’

Will laughed. ‘What is it with you and chocolate-coated cereal lately?’

‘I don’t know, but I can’t get enough of the stuff. You know me, any excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast.’

She ran downstairs to see Alex feeding Alice and Jake grilling bacon. The smell made her gag and she had to rush to the toilet, trying not to throw up again.

‘What’s up with her now? Do you think she’s caught a stomach bug?’

Will shook his head. ‘No, I think she’s a bag of nerves, but she won’t admit it. Have you got any cereal? She said she wanted some.’

Alex pointed to the cupboard next to the fridge. ‘Just about every cereal known to man. Jake can’t resist buying whichever one is on special offer, even if we don’t eat the stuff.’

Will opened it and smiled to see a bright yellow box of Coco Pops. He took a bowl and poured some into it then put it on the table. Annie came in looking sheepish. ‘Sorry, I don’t know what’s the matter with me. Oh my God, you do have Coco Pops.’ She sat down and began to eat while the others waited for Jake to pass them bacon sandwiches. After two full bowls she looked up at them and smiled. ‘Right, that’s better. I’m ready to fight the world now.’

No one dared asked if she was ready to fight Henry. A loud knock on the door broke the comfortable silence. No one had been in the mood for small talk. Jake, followed by Will, went to see who it was. Kav and a very smiley Cathy were standing on the other side. Jake opened the door and they let go of each other’s hands. For once he didn’t make fun. He seemed relieved to see they were both happy. Life was too short to spend it sad and alone. They made their way to the kitchen and he offered them some breakfast, but Kav shook his head. ‘No, thanks, I’ve had a splendid double bacon and egg McMuffin courtesy of the top chef here.’

She pushed him, but smiled all the same. ‘I never told you I could cook now, did I?’

Kav winked at her. ‘No, you didn’t. You didn’t tell me you were such a good…’ He realised he had an audience and stopped talking, but his now red cheeks finished his sentence for him and they all laughed.

‘Right, my little flowers, who’s running this show? Someone needs to be gold commander.’

‘Are you being serious, Kav? This is not strictly police procedure, is it?’

‘No, Jake, it’s not, but someone needs to be the one monitoring and calling the shots. I suggest Cathy. She can run it from her office in the station or in the car with me. I think Will should be silver and I’ll be bronze. However, it will be open to change at any given minute, especially once task force join in; then the chief super will probably step in, but until he does that’s how it is.’

Will nodded. ‘Kav’s got a point. If we all run around like headless chickens, how can we keep an eye on what’s happening? Someone needs to give out orders and call us back to regroup if need be. I agree Cathy can monitor us from her office and make suggestions, but we’ll need to be on our own talk group so the others can’t hear what we’re doing. Preferably one that isn’t being monitored by control.’

‘Leave it with me. I’ll ring up and say we have a minor traffic operation on that we’re running from a different channel so we don’t fill up the airwaves. I’ll monitor what everyone is doing and where you all are, but make sure you keep me updated – no dashing off on your own and being heroic. I’m serious about this. We might not be strictly working by the book, but I still want it done professionally. Do you all understand what I’m saying? Because if you don’t then we go back to doing the same shit we did yesterday. You might feel as if you’re in the latest Hollywood blockbuster, but you’re not. This is real life and, after it’s all over, we are all still accountable for our actions, even if it’s only to each other.’

Nobody dared to argue with her. They were still mindful of her rank and with that came respect, because that was what the organisation had taught them from day one in training school. Will walked Annie outside to his car so he could drive her to where she’d left hers. Cathy and Kav followed, giving Jake time to say goodbye to Alex and their baby girl. Annie looked at Will. ‘Are we doing the right thing? This doesn’t feel right – expecting you all to put yourselves at risk for me. Look at Jake. He and Alex have a perfect life. What if…’

Will kissed her, then pulled away. ‘We don’t really have a choice. Stop worrying about everyone else and start thinking about yourself, please.’

Jake came out, closing his front door behind him. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye then ran to Will’s car and jumped in. ‘Are you taking me or am I going with Annie?’

‘You’re coming with me. Annie will drive herself, but we’ll be a couple of cars behind at all times, so don’t go driving too fast. I don’t want to lose you.’

As they drove away from Jake’s house he looked back over his shoulder and Annie felt terrible for putting him in the position he was about to be in. Will stopped by her car and she opened the door. He grabbed her hand and she squeezed his back, but she couldn’t look at him because she thought that she might just burst into tears. That would be a complete embarrassment.

She started her car, the whole time begging God to watch over her friends and Will. The radio burst into life as she started the ignition and she jumped, reaching out and hitting the button to knock it off. She turned and stuck her thumb up at Will, who smiled, and then she pulled out. This was going to either be the shortest or the longest ride to Windermere she’d ever had. She just hoped that they were right and that Henry would be true to his form and make his move today, when they were all ready for him.

Martha Beckett popped into her head and she was glad of the distraction. Even after this was over there was still the problem of the monster in the cellar of Beckett House. How the hell were they going to find and kill that?

Chapter Twenty-Eight