Page 8 of The Unforgiven

“I could see you being good with a kid.” Lachy grinned again. “Because I’m still one myself? I’m a great uncle and that’ll do for now.”

“Are they living in Australia – your niece or nephew?” I didn’t know him well yet. He’d been with the team about five months, just about surviving a Christmas Day call-out to a murder scene in Salford. No one was eating roast pork that evening.

“They’re over here. Just moved to Chester. That was why I transferred up, and why I moved over here in the first place.” He shook his head and stood up, moving like he always was.

“That’s devotion to your family. I’m not sure I’d have left Australia to come here.”

Lachy shrugged. “You don’t have big poisonous spiders over here, so that’s a bonus. Are you coming to the pub with us?”

I shook my head, logging off the computer this time. I was done with battling it for today. “I’m going for a meal.”

“Date?”

I grinned this time. Cavan had messaged me before to say he’d booked the restaurant and was looking forward to it. I’d confirmed half an hour ago to say work shouldn’t be delaying me for a change. We hadn’t been out just the two of us together for weeks, tending to see each other when Lucy or other people were about, which made it feel like we were still in the early days of seeing each other. I wasn’t sure where this was going to go, or where I wanted it to go, but I liked him. I especially liked him because he wasn’t a cop. “Date.”

“Where are you going?”

“Like I’m going to share that. You’d probably all crash it.” I knew my team too well, especially if they ended up bored and wanted a daft prank to play to end the night.

“We won’t. Vinny wants to go to the Roebuck. Dr Miz is meant to be there.”

“Oh god. Why?” He clearly didn’t have a sense of danger.

Lachy shrugged. “I can think of a few reasons.” He eyed me as if he’d suddenly realised something, something he wasn’t going to share. “Seriously, which restaurant is it? I have a date tomorrow night and I need to know where to take her.”

“Bao and Co. It’s a new Chinese.” Not where we’d originally planned because Cavan had wanted to avoid Didsbury for some reason, but I wasn’t fussed. He lived in an apartment in the City Centre, so we’d probably go back to his.

Lachy fake kicked a football across the office. “Sounds good. Might see you there.” He gave me a wink and fucked off before I launched something at him.

Chapter Five

“Would you like another drink?” The waiter swung by my table after serving a couple nearby.

I shook my head, glancing round the restaurant. “Just the bill, thanks. The food’s been great.” It really had, just the company was non-existent.

My freshly washed and almost styled hair had been decent for me, or so I persuaded myself. The playsuit I had on made me feel like I was something other than a cop, and I’d resolved to take a photo of myself in the next mirror I saw and send it to him, let him know what he’d missed out on given he hadn’t turned up.

My phone had pinged with a message when he was forty-five minutes late and not picking up his phone. There’d been a safeguarding emergency at school and he was staying back to wait for a social worker to pick up a pupil who wasn’t able to go home.

I understood, or at least I was trying to. There’d been a couple of times when I’d had to cancel last minute, but not three-quarters of an hour late.

I’d eaten, had a cocktail that was more fruit than alcohol, and considered the benefits of an early night.

Another text came in from Cavan.

I’m so sorry. I’ve just managed to leave now. Shall I meet you somewhere?

I wasn’t in the mood anymore. The day had been long already, and his had clearly been the same.

Let’s leave it tonight and rearrange. Maybe grab lunch tomorrow? I have a day off.

My phone vibrated again as soon as I put it down, but this time it wasn’t Cavan.

It’s Lachy. We’re in the bar across from you and Vinny’s threatening to come and get you, and by get you, I mean serenade you, so you might be better just coming over here.

I looked out of the window and saw thick blonde hair, Lachy standing next to the towering mass of annoyance that was Vinny Leigh.

Was it better than heading home now? It’d been a few weeks since I’d last gone out with anyone from the team.