Richard looked at the cup of tea Dwayne had placed in front of him, slightly stunned. Dwayne had asked if Richard had wanted a cuppa but Richard was so intent on asking him about Lily Thompson, he hadn't really taken on board what Dwayne was doing.

Richard raised his eyebrows at the sight of the mug of brown fluid in front of him, cautiously taking a sip under Dwayne's intense stare. Bracing himself, Richard swallowed and nearly fell off his chair with shock. The tea was bloody gorgeous! He looked up at Dwayne, opened mouthed and speechless.

"Thought it was about time we learned more about this tea drinking thing Chief. I can report back that I Have passed the test."

Richard gave Dwayne his best puzzled look.

"Yes Chief, we've been taking lessons from Catherine Bordey. Well worth it I think by the look on your face!"

Richard started to reply but began to cough instead. The shock of having a great cup of tea made in the station itself was making his cold resurface.

"You ok Chief? Don't make me tell 'em my first tea made you choke!"

Richard's coughing slowed down and he cleared his somewhat sore throat.

"No, s'ok. It's a bit of a cold that's been brewing since I've got back. It's nothing really." He said, dismissively waving his hand, "it's getting late, time we shut up shop."

At that point, Richard's mobile phone rang. It was Camille.

"Richard, aren't you done there yet! We're waiting for you!"

Richard had forgotten he was to join his colleagues at La Kaz. He didn't really feel like it but was too restless after the previous week's stresses, admitting to himself as much as his bed and Strepsils ™ called to him right there and then, he needed the cheer and the company of his friends.

"Dwayne has just come in." he replied, looking up at Dwayne who had somehow changed in to a casual shirt in a split second, "he'll be down in a minute. I've got some paperwork to file and will lock up. Should be with you in about twenty minutes if that's ok"

Camille replied her affirmative and hung up.

Richard coughed again, his throat quite irritated. Ordinarily he would scoff at the suggestion but a large glass of local hundred and ten percent raw cane rum with the dreaded lime would probably do him some good.

"You go on Dwayne, they're waiting for us. I'll be down presently. "

Dwayne smiled and did not waste any time getting out of the door. Richard returned the smile, actually almost feeling happy, but the mood was suddenly tempered by the memory of his mother and his ex-wife standing together in a small but exclusive hotel in Knightsbridge on Richard's wedding day. Neither glad to be in the company of the other.

He sighed, getting up out of his chair and taking the stack of paperwork to the filing cabinet close by, wasting no time placing them in the appropriate folders. Standing back, he began to feel a little light headed again and momentarily reached out to steady himself feeling flushed and exhausted, his chest feeling quite tight. That was resolved by another brief coughing session. Shaking his head, he grabbed his coat and briefcase and set the internal alarms, then stepped out on to the veranda to shut and lock the doors.

"Detective Inspector Richard Poole?"

The heavily accented voice startled him and he turned to face whoever had somehow managed to sneak up behind him. But before he had a chance to respond, Richard felt his head being grabbed and smacked hard against the wooden door frame, then he felt nothing at all.