The cheers rang out through the incident room as Wendy walked with modest grace between the desks. Even Jack Culverhouse was applauding.
‘Didn't have you down as a clapper, guv,’ Wendy said.
‘I’m not, but it's been a long time since I've seen a pair of legs and an arse like that.’
‘Hospital food. Enough to make anyone lose three stone.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind next time my brother is strangling the shit out of me. Every cloud, eh?’
Wendy managed a wry laugh. She could either laugh or cry and she had done enough of one of those over the past few weeks.
‘Well, welcome back. I think it's safe to say we probably won't see the likes of a case like that for a while.’
‘We definitely won’t,’ Wendy said. ‘I don't have any other brothers left.’
Culverhouse matched her wry laugh of relief.
‘Tell me, Knight. For my own peace of mind. Did you really not have even the slightest inkling that Michael was involved?’
‘No, how could I?’
‘Heh. Bloody good job I put PC Baxter's name forward for a fast-track promotion instead of yours then, isn't it?’ Culverhouse replied.
‘You did what?’
‘Well, are you surprised? Four bloody weeks off work doesn't quite cut the mustard either, does it? Back in my day, I'd've been back at work by eight the next morning. Now sit down. You’ve got some paperwork to catch up on.’
Wendy had the feeling that some things were just never destined to change.