Jack was at the table, hunched over his laptop, writing the leak article, his beer bottle almost empty, when Laura came through the door.
Bobby was watching television, and he turned around excitedly. She grinned and went to him. She slumped on the sofa next to him, and Jack watched with a smile as Bobby told Laura about his day at school. The tiredness seemed to fade from her eyes and within a few minutes, she was laughing at something Bobby said about a teacher. They watched television for a few minutes together, Bobby leaning into her, until she kissed him on the top of his head and said she had to get a drink.
Jack held the bottle in the air as Laura walked past. ‘One more from the fridge if you’re going near it.’
‘You’re going to have to come and get it,’ she said, and when he turned to look, Laura was beckoning for him to follow her, smiling.
Jack obeyed, and when he got into the kitchen, Laura stepped forward and put her arms around his neck. She pulled him close and kissed him on the lips, just briefly.
‘A bit early for beer,’ she said softly.
Jack didn’t answer. Instead, he grinned and then pulled her into him again, kissing her harder this time. She responded at first, but then she whispered that Bobby might walk in on them and pulled away. She leaned against the counter. ‘How’s the story coming on?’
‘It’s getting there,’ he said, opening the fridge and reaching for another beer. ‘How’s the investigation?’
Laura smiled. ‘It’s getting there.’
‘And that’s all I’m getting? I was shown the photographs of the bodies earlier, and now it’s all secret again? I could pull the story.’
She sighed. ‘Okay, okay, don’t get like that. On the record, we are pursuing some interesting lines of inquiry.’
‘And off the record?’
‘We’re getting nowhere. Jane’s boyfriend’s in the clear, but we always thought he was. That’s where Jane was going when she was killed, because Don didn’t like him and so they had to sneak around. That’s why she was on her own, which makes it really sad. Apart from that, we’ve nothing.’
‘What about the reference to Emma?’
Laura shook her head. ‘Nothing so far. It sounds like the emails could be from some attention-seeker.’
Jack took a drink of his beer. ‘I’ve got the story in one of the nationals,’ he said.
‘Harry?’
‘It’s still good to have favours to call in.’
‘He won’t be there for ever,’ she said.
Jack shrugged. ‘Who is?’ He took another drink of beer and then said, ‘You’re back early. We could have a night in.’
‘We could, provided that you don’t grill me any more about the case.’
‘What is there to know? Is Don a suspect?’
‘Should he be?’
‘Maybe he’s a copycat, covering up something he’s done in the past by making Jane look like a second victim.’
Laura put her hand over her mouth, shock on her face. ‘What, you mean a police officer might have leaked things about the first victim to him?’ Then she grinned playfully. ‘We thought of that, Sherlock. You’re not the only sleuth in town, you know.’
Her head went back and she put her hands to her face before she swept back her hair.
‘You need to get more rest,’ Jack said.
‘And you need to drink less.’
‘Come on, Laura, you know what I mean. Stop feeling like you’ve got something to prove. You’re a good detective, everyone knows that.’
Laura shook her head. ‘There’s always something to prove, you know that. I’m a woman, I’m from the wrong end of the country, the London upstart. There is always someone jostling for my position, and the handicaps mean that I’ve got to jostle a little bit harder than others.’
‘Okay,’ Jack said. ‘Just don’t forget about us two at home, waiting for you.’
Laura didn’t respond at first, and for a moment Jack thought he had said too much, until she replied, ‘You’re both my family,’ her voice slow and low. ‘I could never forget that. We’re getting married, for goodness’ sake.’
Jack nodded, smiling. ‘Thank you.’
‘And that reminds me,’ she said, pushing herself away from the counter and walking past Jack. ‘I’ve got to fit into a dress, so I think I’d better go for a run.’