Imogen finished up the paperwork ready for the team progress meeting in the morning and looked at the clock: it was time to go home. She wanted to check on Adrian again. It was unusual for him to take any time off. Whatever this illness was it was really taking its toll on him. When she went to his house to spend time with him he was either asleep or glued to the television. He wasn’t himself at all. She wasn’t sure the medicine the doctor had given him was making any difference. It occurred to her that she had never really seen him sick before. He wasn’t a good patient. She had also never known Adrian to be this irritable with her; he just wasn’t like that.
DCI Kapoor walked over to her desk.
‘You going to see Adrian?’ the DCI asked.
‘Yes. I don’t think he eats when I don’t feed him,’ Imogen smiled, half joking.
‘Well, give him our regards. The place feels strange without him. Are you and DI Walsh getting on?’ Kapoor asked, then, without waiting for an answer, added, ‘I know you and Adrian have a very tight working relationship. It can be difficult to get used to other people’s habits.’
‘We are working together fine; did he say otherwise?’ Imogen said, aware that this was leading somewhere.
‘Good. I wanted to talk to you about that. We’re getting a new DS soon. I think you and DS Miles might benefit from switching things up a bit.’
‘With all due respect, I wouldn’t be happy with that. Adrian and I work well together, we trust each other and we get good results,’ Imogen said.
Was the DCI hinting that she knew they were in a relationship together? Their argument had caused a scene in the station and was something Imogen would rather forget, both personally and professionally.
‘I’m just concerned that sometimes it’s harder to be completely objective when you are too close,’ DCI Kapoor said.
‘No. Not us. I assure you, there won’t be a problem.’ Imogen folded her arms.
‘Let’s just see how you get on working with Matt. We can leave this discussion open for now. I was just sounding you out.’ DCI Kapoor smiled. ‘This fight that led to Adrian’s irrational and unprofessional behaviour, not to mention his subsequent injury, is a cause for concern.’
‘If you order us to do it then we will, but I think you would be making a huge mistake.’ Imogen tried not to sound too annoyed.
‘Prove me wrong, then. When Adrian gets back, I’ll be watching both of you to make sure.’
‘That’s fine.’
‘I’ll see you tomorrow.’
Imogen grabbed her things and left the station. She took a few deep breaths before starting the car to go and see Adrian. He was hard work at the moment. Resistant to everything. She was sure he was still upset over what she had said. Maybe the DCI was right and they needed a break from each other when he got back to work. There was so much at stake now; it would be hard to choose which aspect of their relationship she would find it hardest to be without. He was her partner, her lover and her best friend – so much to go wrong, so much to lose.
She parked the car and rang the doorbell. Adrian answered the door and smiled when he saw her. He was looking better. He walked back into the lounge and lay on the sofa. Imogen could smell food.
‘Did you cook?’ she said, surprised.
‘Yeah; nothing special, though. Just a prawn curry. Thought you might be hungry.’
‘You mean you didn’t want my cooking again?’
‘Pot Noodles are not classed as cooking. Besides, I thought it was only fair. You’ve been an excellent nurse.’
Imogen sighed and walked into the kitchen. It was clean and the food was cooked and ready on the stove. She had been really concerned about Adrian, more than she had let on even to herself. He just hadn’t been himself. The relief she felt was noticeable. Adrian seemed almost happy to see her.
She was starving and the food smelled so good. She made up two bowls and took them into the lounge. She put Adrian’s on the dining table and sat down. He was engrossed in the TV. She was a little bothered by his lack of interest in what she was doing. These days, he never asked how work was, never asked about the case or how she was. At least he had cooked, though.
‘The DCI wants us to work with other people. She doesn’t think it’s a good idea for us to partner anymore,’ Imogen said.
‘What do you think?’ Adrian looked up at her affectionately, a little surprised at the revelation.
It occurred to her in that moment that he hadn’t looked at her affectionately since they’d had their argument at the Corrigan house. He had been so distant. She knew he was ill, but she couldn’t help thinking he was still upset with her. She felt a lump in her throat. She wasn’t sure why that made her emotional; maybe because he had always looked at her with care and affection and she hadn’t noticed until it wasn’t there anymore.
‘I think she’s wrong,’ Imogen said. ‘I think the argument we had was nothing to do with us. We would have fallen out about it regardless of our relationship.’
She didn’t want to say that she thought he was wrong again for storming in and attacking Corrigan. She knew she was wrong for what she said, but it didn’t make him right. They seemed to have moved past it and she wasn’t about to stoke that fire again.
‘Then we’ll tell her that.’
‘Aren’t you going to eat?’ Imogen asked.
She watched as Adrian laboured to get off the sofa, clutching his side as he moved, anguish on his face. His face was puffy again, as though he had been crying. Her mother had suffered with depression many times, when she wasn’t going through one of her manic episodes, and so she recognised it in Adrian. No amount of telling him to cheer up would fix it and she daren’t suggest antidepressants to him, but she knew what he would say if she ever suggested it to him.
She wished there was something she could do, but she had seen that bruise on his rib – time was the only thing that could help. He shuffled over to the table with a cushion and put it on the seat, lowering himself onto it slowly. His eyes watering again.
‘Are you feeling any better? Are your pain meds working?’
‘The doc said my rib was going to hurt for a few weeks. When I get back to work, I’ll have to do desk work for a while. As long as I stay rested it should be fine.’
‘I want you to promise me you won’t do that again,’ Imogen said.
‘Do what again?’
‘Get yourself into a fight. I know this case has been difficult for you, but going out and pissing people off after work until they punch you is not the answer. You were already hurt. What if someone pulls a knife on you next time? I’ve been so worried about you.’
Imogen didn’t want to push too hard, didn’t want to ask what the hell he was thinking. They only had a minor disagreement. He was so impulsive and hotheaded sometimes. She didn’t really understand why he would want to be in pain. Surely this wasn’t worth it. Surely this wasn’t what he wanted.
‘I just got unlucky getting sick at the same time. I’ll be fine. You don’t need to worry about me,’ Adrian said gravely; her words had obviously hit home.
‘You look so pale and you’ve lost weight. I just want you to look after yourself.’
‘I will. I won’t do it again. I learned my lesson.’ He smiled a tentative smile and took a mouthful of food.
She reached across the table and touched the tips of his fingers. She wasn’t sure, but she thought he twitched at her touch, as though it were unwelcome. What she had said back at the Corrigan house had obviously crossed a line; she just hoped they could get back from it.