Kay squeezed his hand once more, and then let go.
He didn’t often show his emotions about her miscarriage the previous year, and guilt washed over her that she hadn’t thought of asking how he was doing more often.
As if picking up on her thoughts, he walked around the worktop to where she sat and pulled her into his arms. He kissed her hair.
‘We can go up there at the weekend again if you like.’
She twisted round on her bar stool to face him, and placed her hand against his cheek. ‘That’s okay. I imagine Sharp will have us working overtime this week. I think it’s nice you went there.’
‘You don’t mind?’
‘Of course not.’
‘I tidied up a bit while I was there,’ he said, moving back to the stove and picking up the wooden spoon. ‘There were weeds growing all around. Can’t have that.’
Kay eased herself off the stool and grabbed the bottle of wine off the worktop before topping up his glass. ‘I thought perhaps we could donate those boxes of clothes upstairs to one of the local charities sometime.’
He clinked his glass against hers. ‘I think that’s a great idea.’
‘I’m going to keep the blue bear, though.’
He smiled. ‘Thought you might. I saw he’s taken up prime position next to your new computer.’
‘He’s guarding it.’
‘That so?’
‘True story. He’ll take your hand off if you go anywhere near him.’
‘I’ll bear that in mind.’
Kay groaned, and moved away to grab the plates from the cupboard.
As Adam spoke to Kay about his day while they ate, she was struck as always by how much she loved him.
He had a habit of telling stories with his hands, so as he described the farm he had visited that morning and the animals he had attended to, she found herself putting down her utensils and covering her mouth as she dissolved into laughter at his impressions of the hapless farmer he had to deal with.
It never ceased to amaze her how much information he had to recall about all the animals he looked after on a day-to-day basis. She knew he often spent the evenings she was working with his head bowed above an open textbook on the kitchen worktop, or flicking through the latest edition of a veterinary journal, always making sure his knowledge was up to date.
Since their house had been burgled, Kay hadn’t brought up the subject of her own investigation into who had tried to end her career by implicating her in a case where vital evidence had gone missing, and a subsequent Professional Standards investigation had been lodged against her.
She’d survived the ordeal, but not unscathed. Not only had the ensuing suspension from duty resulted in a devastating miscarriage, but her ambition to become a detective inspector had been quashed by her superior officer, DCI Larch. Only DI Devon Sharp had fought her corner for her and remained one of the few from the top floor she felt she could trust.
Embittered and vowing justice on those who had wronged her, Adam had suggested she conduct her own investigation into who it was and why she had been set up.
Neither of them could have foreseen the consequences of her actions. The burglary had been shocking enough; the attack on her colleague, DC Gavin Piper – a police constable at the time – had frightened them both, and Adam had pleaded with her to stop.
She’d agreed, and had ceased to spend her evenings at her computer in the spare bedroom above, but her natural curiosity continued to keep her mind busy as she tried to work out why she had been targeted. She’d been too busy at work the past few months to have time to carry out any research, yet the temptation proved too much.
‘I was thinking,’ she said, swirling her wine. ‘Things have gone quiet recently. I might take a look at that case again.’
Adam froze, his wineglass halfway to his mouth. He blinked, and lowered it to the worktop before speaking.
‘Are you sure?’
She nodded. ‘I need to know, Adam. I can’t let them get away with it.’ She leaned forward and reached out for his hand. ‘Since they hauled me over the coals about the missing evidence, it’s like no-one is going after Jozef Demiri anymore. It’s almost as if they’re too scared to. Nothing’s happening. I checked the database earlier today, and there’s no-one investigating him.’
‘For good reason, Kay.’ He frowned. ‘Who do you think burgled our house? His lot, or one of yours?’
She sat back on her stool. ‘I’m not sure. But,’ she added, holding up her hand to stop him interrupting, ‘if it is someone I work with, then I want to know who – and why.’
He sighed, squeezed her hand. ‘I wondered how long you’d be able to stay away from it.’
She bit her lip. ‘Sorry. I’ll be careful, I promise.’
Her mobile phone buzzed next to her elbow, and she glanced down at the number before frowning.
‘Guv?’
Adam began to clear their plates away while she listened to DI Sharp’s voice, her heart sinking as the impact of what he was saying hit her.
‘I’ll be right there.’
Adam automatically grabbed her takeaway coffee cup from the worktop and flipped the kettle on as she put her phone away.
‘You on your way out?’
‘Yes. Sharp’s at the hospital. I’ve got to go. Peter Evans attempted suicide.’
Seventeen
Kay pulled the handbrake on the car and leapt from the vehicle, swinging her bag over her shoulder as she aimed her key fob over her shoulder and heard the deep thunk of the locking mechanism.
Hurrying across the car park, she pushed her hair away from her face as a light breeze tickled her skin, and a bright moon appeared from behind a cloud, its glow muted by the orange of the sodium lights above her head.
Kay swept into the hospital through the main visitor entrance and then turned right and along a familiar corridor.
She realised her hand
