In the upstairs room of the King’s Head, amidst the noise of the mourners and celebrants, with Don’s pictures on the wall behind them, Phil and Marina stood like a small island. The calm at the eye of the storm.
Franks looked over at them, nodded. But didn’t come any closer. Marina wasn’t surprised.
Franks had been furious with Marina for what she had done that night in Wrabness. He had called her into his office the next day, didn’t invite her to sit. He clearly wanted to stay sitting himself but was too angry so stood up, faced her over the desk top.
‘What the bloody hell did you think you were playing at? That was a police operation and you are one of this team. You were given a direct instruction and you ignored it.’
Marina stood up to him. ‘And it was a good job I did. If I’d waited for you to get there, my daughter might well have been dead.’
Franks’s mouth had twisted but he hadn’t given her a reply. ‘We were right behind you. And not only did you interfere with a police operation, you left a murder scene. One dead, two seriously injured.’
‘I had my daughter to take care of. And as you said, you and the team were on the way.’
Franks didn’t seem to have been spoken to like this before. He didn’t know quite how to respond. Anger and sympathy vied for prominence in his features. He sighed. ‘Yes. I understand. I realise you were under a lot of strain, with what you’ve had to go through in the last few days. But it doesn’t alter the fact that you’re part of this team. And there’s a chain of command. This is the Major Incident Squad, not some cowboy outfit. If you can’t understand that and be part of it, then perhaps it’s best you’re not here.’
‘Fine,’ she said.
‘What?’ He stopped talking, stared at her, surprised at her answer. ‘You mean that?’
‘Yes, I do. I’ve been thinking about it a lot in the last couple of days. Maybe it’s time I had a change.’
Franks fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded. ‘Right. Spend some time at home. With your daughter.’
‘Yes. And go back into private practice. Or consultancy. Or academia. Somewhere where my talents will be more appreciated.’
Franks reddened, tried to say something consoling, but she was no longer listening.
And that had been the end of that.