Her husband, who seemed barely out of his teens in a prison-issue tracksuit, waved back, then went over to a raised desk where a female officer checked his name against a list. Shepherd went over to her and gave her his name and number. 'I'm supposed to have a private visit,' he said.
She ran her pen down her computer printout. 'Room five,' she said, and pointed to the far end of the room.
As Shepherd walked between the tables he saw CCTV cameras in the four corners of the room. They were moving, focusing on individual tables, watching silently as husbands embraced wives, fathers cuddled small children and kissed babies. Several men were crying unashamedly, tears streaming down their faces as they held their wives.
Three officers were walking among the tables, their faces impassive as they watched the prisoners take their places. If they saw a man getting too passionate they'd tap his shoulder and tell him to sit down. The prisoners had to sit on the right-hand side of the table, the visitors on the left.
In one corner of the room a booth sold soft drinks and sweets, and there was a play area for young children, minded by a couple of cheery middle-aged women.
The door to room five was open and Sue was already sitting at the table, Liam saw Shepherd first and ran towards him, arms outstretched. 'Daddy, Daddy!' he shouted.
Shepherd picked him up and squeezed him. 'Hiya, kid,' he said, and kissed him.
'When are you coming home, Daddy?' asked Liam.
Shepherd kissed him again. 'Soon,' he said.
'Today?'
'No, not today, but soon.'
He put Liam down and held out his arms for Sue. She smiled, but he could see how tense she was. He held her and she slipped her arms round his waist. 'God, I've missed you,' he said.
'It's your choice, being here,' she said, and he heard resentment in her voice.
'I'm sorry,' he said.
'I didn't realise how horrible it was.'
'It's prison,' he said, trying to smile. 'What did you think it'd be like?'
'You hear stories, don't you, about them being like holiday camps?'
'That's open prisons,' said Shepherd.
'What's this, then?'
'Category A. It's high security.'
'But you haven't had a trial or anything. What happened to innocent until proven guilty?'
'It's the system, love,' said Shepherd.
'Why are you in prison, Daddy?' asked Liam. 'Were you bad?'
Shepherd knelt down and put a hand on his son's shoulder. 'I've not been bad, Liam, but you mustn't tell anybody about Daddy being here.'
'It's a secret?'
'That's right.'
'I won't tell, Daddy.'
Shepherd ruffled his hair. 'Good boy.' Sue took a colouring book and some crayons out of her bag, put them on the table and Liam sat down with them. Shepherd stood up. 'Thanks for coming,' he said to his wife. 'Did Sam Hargrove bring you?'
'He sent a driver. He's waiting for us outside. How long is this going to take, Dan? How long are you going to be in here?'
The room had a glass window so that prison officers could see inside, but no one seemed to be taking an interest in Shepherd.
'A few weeks, maybe.'
'Isn't it dangerous?' she whispered, not wanting Liam to hear. She sat down at the table. She was wearing her ten-year-old sheepskin jacket, the one she always wore when they went out walking, faded blue jeans and scuffed boots. Prison casual. But she'd taken care with her makeup and was wearing her long blonde hair loose, the way he liked it.
Shepherd shook his head. 'It's a remand wing,' he said. 'Everyone's on their best behaviour because they want to getout.'Hewouldn'ttell herabouthisrun-inwithNeedles. Or about breaking Jurczak's leg.
'Some of the women waiting to come in were saying that there was a suicide last week.'
'Not on the remand wing, love,' said Shepherd.
'What's it like?' Sue asked.
'Boring, most of the time.'
'Do you have a cell of your own?'
Shepherd smiled. 'I wish. But it's got a television.'
'You're joking!'
'It's no big deal,' said Shepherd. 'Keeps the inmates quiet.'
'And are there fights and things?'
Shepherd laughed. 'Of course not. It's not like the movies. We don't hang out in a yard having knife fights. We only get to exercise for forty-five minutes a day and we're searched every time we go in and out.'
He sat down opposite her and they watched Liam colour a pirate ship, his brow furrowed in concentration.
Sue frowned. 'Where did you get that watch?'
Shepherd glanced at the flashy Rolex. 'Hargrove.'
'It's horrible.'
'I know. It's part of the cover.' He showed her the thick gold chain round his neck. 'This too.'
'You look like a . . . I don't know what you look like.'
'It's not for long.'
'You owe me for this, Dan Shepherd. You owe me big-time.'
'I know.'
'I miss you.'
'I miss you, too.'
'I mean it, Dan. They're not just words.' Her eyes moved to Liam. 'He's not sleeping either.'
'This is important, love.'
'It's always important, though, isn't it? It's always the big one. The guy who's got to be put away. And then, once he's gone, there's another. And another.'
'That's why it's important. If they're allowed to get away with it, what sort of world would it be?'
'But it's always you, isn't it? It's always you taking risks. First with the Regiment and now with Hargrove and his have-a-go heroes.' She leaned across the table. Shepherd could see that she was close to tears. 'You're an addict, Dan. That's what it is. You're an adrenaline junkie.'
A prison visiting room wasn't the place for a discussion about his career, or his psyche, Shepherd knew. And he didn't want to argue with her, especially not in front of Liam. There was another reason, too: in his heart of hearts he knew she was right.
Shepherd ruffled Liam's hair. 'You okay, kid?'
Liam nodded.
'We'll go fishing, when I come home.' He turned back to his wife. 'Your mum and dad okay?'
'They're fine.'
'You haven't told them . . .'
'Give me some credit, Dan. How long have I been a policeman's wife?' She sighed, then answered her own question. 'Too long.'
'Do you want anything? A drink? Biscuits?'
'No, thanks.'
'I'm going to have to ask you to do something,' said Shepherd.
'I don't like the sound of that.'
'The reason we got the private visit is because everyone thinks you want to divorce me.'
