Lightning suddenly lit up Jo’s room. Counting the seconds between the flash and the next crack of thunder, Daniels calculated that the eye of the storm was around five miles away – somewhere south of the river.
Jo stirred in the bed.
Daniels looked on, a deep sadness gnawing at her heart. They’d once shared so much more than a passion for solving cases. She wished things were different between them and thought of all the reasons why they were not. Nobody – not her father, not even Jo – had ever come before her ambition to reach the very top.
She had to speak to her now – she still had a job to do.
‘Why didn’t you tell me Alan was back?’ she said gently.
It was a good question; one that had niggled Daniels from the very second she’d come across Stephens’ body. Jo was many things, but it wasn’t in her nature to be secretive. When push came to shove, she always told the truth. Like the day she ended their relationship because Daniels refused to ‘come out’.
The worst day of her life.
Jo chose not to answer.
‘You knew he was in the country?’ Daniels pushed.
She waited for a response. Jo might have come up with any number of excuses, but clearly she didn’t want to talk. Well, she’d have to sometime, whether she liked it or not. Better to Daniels than to one of her colleagues.
‘Talk to me, Jo . . . We found his body two nights ago.’
Jo shut her eyes and turned away, her emotions spilling over. Daniels had known it was coming. She got up from the bed and walked to the window, unsure of where to go next.
She spoke without turning around. ‘Do you want me to get the kids?’
‘No, I need to be on my own. I want you to go now.’
Daniels turned back to face her. ‘Things are not that simple. I’m looking into Alan’s death. You know I can’t do that if anyone finds out about us.’
‘Aren’t you forgetting – there is no us!’ Jo stopped talking as a second flash of lightning lit up the room, quickly followed by a rumble of thunder. The lights flickered on and off. The storm was getting closer. ‘Oh my God! How did he . . .? Kate?’
Daniels looked at the floor.
‘He was murdered!?’ It seemed to take for ever for the news to hit home. ‘You don’t think I—’
‘Don’t be stupid!’
‘You’re not sure, are you?’ Jo laughed, then filled up. ‘You seriously think I might have put a bullet in his head?’
An unfortunate choice of words.
Being suspicious was in Daniels’ nature, an integral part of who she was and why she was good at her job. But then again, so was a sense of fair play. Everyone deserved the benefit of the doubt. Once. Innocent until proven guilty, there was nothing wrong with that.
Daniels had no idea just how she’d managed to reach this particular hard place, even less idea of how she could find her way back from it. She moved towards Jo, touching her arm gently.
Jo pulled away. ‘Don’t touch me! What’s in it for you, Kate? Offer you a promotion, did they?’
Silence.
Jo smirked. ‘Oh, that is priceless. They really know how to push your buttons.’
Daniels tried to stay calm, tried to think of the right thing to say – and got it wrong all over again. ‘Look, taking this case has landed me right in it. Please, Jo. Listen to me—’
‘No. You listen to me. Whatever you’re up to—’
‘I’m trying to protect you!’
‘You sure that’s why you’re here?’
‘Don’t, Jo.’
‘Why not? Your job comes first, doesn’t it?’
‘That’s unfair!’
‘What is it with you and the police force? It’s just a job, Kate. It isn’t real. We were real, you and me! We had something good, something other people would give their right arm for. But it wasn’t enough for you, was it? Why d’you think I—’
Daniels cut her off. ‘It’ll be different this time, I promise.’
Jo wanted to believe her. ‘Yeah, well it’s a bit late now.’
Daniels failed to notice her press the buzzer for assistance until it was too late. Thorburn was first through the door, followed closely by Nurse Baker, Tom and James. She slipped quietly from the room – there was nothing more to be said.