#2 NEWS; LETTER

"Who's that?"

He didn't hear Frankie come in but when she speaks, she whispers right into his ear, bent over his shoulder - so close her lips brush his earlobe. He turns his head towards her and the movement tickles her hair against his cheek.

"Ever heard of Daniel Wilson?"

"How could I not? Even if it hadn't been the biggest man hunt of the last fifty years, he's all over the news now."

"Because he's being released."

Boyd gestures to a TV flickering in the corner and mutes it. It's showing the BBC news – a close-up of a man in an ugly tie, leaving court.

"Ridiculous."

She moves round to his feet, and perches beside them on his desk. He rapidly flicks his focus from the television to her and back. "Indeed it is."

"Why?"

This time his focus stays on her as his eyebrows knit in confusion. "He was a…"

"Sadistic killer I know, I didn't mean…I know why his release is ridiculous; I just wondered why you're watching a news story about it. At work."

"It was a big case, not far from here. I'm just showing professional interest."

She raises her eyebrows and another question waits on her lips but he cuts her off before she can speak "It was what you could call my 'big break'."

"You were on the case?"

"Only as a lowly DS: a tiny cog in the big machine. But it was me who found the witness who finally secured the conviction."

There's no arrogance in his voice – he's not bragging about a past glory, just telling a story. She nods, and her hand drifts to his ankles on the desk, fingers tracing small circles against his socks. "Sometimes I wonder if I'd be here now if it wasn't for that case. It was so high profile…such an important witness…it was only luck really, but no one could deny how important it was."

He stares at the television – the coherence of his speech fading as he looses himself in his memories. The silence rests heavy with the expectation of his next sentence, but it doesn't come. On the screen the picture changes; they zoom into a close up of a man in a suit. Old but smart with his grey hair neatly parted and his tie in a fat Windsor knot. The banner at the bottom of the screen proclaims him to be John Harper, a retired Detective Chief Inspector.

"Was that your DCI?"

"Only on that case, yes: half the Met was drafted onto it by the end. Needed all the man power they could get. He hated me - thought I was much too cocky."

She bites back a smart comment but can't help smirking. He catches the quirk of her lips and raises his eyebrows warningly. "He absolutely hated that it was me who made the breakthrough. As if it wasn't bad enough that the key witness wasn't found by him, they weren't even found by one of his team. If there hadn't been so much riding on the conviction I'm sure he would have misplaced the statement or found the evidence inadmissible or something."

"What? I'm sorry, I know that DCI's can be gits" it's not a direct jibe at him but they both acknowledge it could be with slight smiles and raised eyebrows "but surely, no one would risk any kind of conviction."

"That's surprisingly innocent and optimistic of you, Frankie."

"Naïve, you mean?"

"Well, I wouldn't want to…"

"Insult me, Boyd?"

"No, lie to you. It's not naïve, having faith in the system. Shouldn't everyone do that?"

Swinging his feet off the desk, he leans forwards to grab her hands, covering them as he pulls her closer. "I wish…I wish I could still feel that way."

She responds to his sincerity by leaning towards him, almost magnetically. Close, so close, too close, and her lips are on his without a second thought.

The contact is fleeting; Boyd jumps back and casts her a sorrowful look "Frankie, I…I don't think this is a good idea."

She straightens up and she can feel her cheeks flaming. Inwardly she curses herself - not for allowing herself to kiss him but for being ashamed by it. His hand clasps hers – tight - and she tries to pull them back but he won't let go. "Listen, I…"

"I get it Boyd, alright. It's not…we can't and I didn't mean…God, I guess I need to learn your technique: get away quicker."

Shocked, he releases her hand and before he can speak she's gone.