Tony brushed past several officers before bumping straight into DI Manson just outside the canteen. Now why couldn't he bump into a bunch of wildcats or a bowl of piranhas?

'Ah, PC Stamp!' Manson. 'You haven't seen Samantha around, have you?'

'Not recently,' Tony answered shortly.

Manson looked like he was about to walk on but he stepped back. 'Have you been to see Abigail today?'

'No, why would I?'

'Well, you saw her yesterday.'

Tony forced a smile. 'She'd just been shot, what was I supposed to do?'

Manson nodded. 'If you see Samantha, tell her I need to see her.'

'Yes, Sir.'


'Hi, Sam,' Jim stopped her on her way up the stairs.

'Jim, hi,' she smiled absently.

'Good news about the new obbo,' he said.

'Pardon?'

'The obbo on Cooper in a few days,' he specified. 'The DI told me you're in on it.'

'Wish he'd told me,' Sam complained aloud.

'He's probably waiting for you now,' Jim answered before moving off.

Yeah, probably waiting till the last minute so he could get her shot this time. That was rather harsh of her, wasn't it? Still she had good reason to hate him and to mistrust everything he did and said, she wasn't about to give him any leeway.


Was it just his imagination or were Andrea's following him around the station?

No, Tony told himself firmly, just because she seemed to be everywhere he was didn't mean there was anything wrong. Although he had probably got her thinking with his little outburst before, she might be thinking he'd actually done something, she didn't know the whole story.

He briefly wondered how Sam was getting on in her little Manson-quest, perhaps he'd ask her about it.


'It just would have been nice to have been told,' Sam argued angrily. 'Considering I was heading this investigation until yesterday.'

'You weren't doing such a good job, Samantha,' he said in a warning tone.

She was in full flow now. 'I wasn't?! You take over and my daughter gets shot!'

'Wait a minute, DS Nixon,' he stood. 'Your daughter shouldn't have been with us in the first place and I pointed that out. And I think you're forgetting who you're talking to.'

'I know exactly who I'm talking to.'

Manson's features tightened. 'Then I suggest you take some time to calm down, perhaps go visit your daughter seeing as you're so concerned about her.'

Oh, that was a cheap shot, Sam thought as she tried to cool her expression a little bit. 'I think I will, Guv.'

'Good,' he said. 'I'll run though the obbo with you tomorrow.'

'I'll look forward to it,' Sam smiled stiffly before making her escape.

He was unbelievable! How could he not show even an ounce of remorse for the girl laying in a hospital bed because of him? But, with a pang of regret, she realised her softly softly approach had just gone flying out of the window, anything she tried against Manson now was going to be discovered, unless it was very good.

Then very good it would have to be, as well as Tony she was fighting for Eva and the DCI not to mention Abi, she wasn't about to mess this up.


Alright, Jim thought as he walked purposefully down the stairs, I'm going to ask her out for a drink (mineral water, obviously), she'll say yes and we'll live happily ever after. Well, he could try for nothing anyway.

'June around?' he asked Smithy when he found the office June-free.

'She's in custody, I think,' Smithy answered. 'Was it important?'

'Not really,' he turned to leave then turned back. 'How is she lately?'

Smithy grinned. 'You trying to ask me if she talks about you?'

'Does she?' Jim questioned hopefully.

'You two are like schoolkids,' he said. 'Course she does!'

'Really?'

'Jim, mate,' Smithy said seriously. 'You know what happened with Gabriel, she needs you, she won't admit it but she does. Just talk to her.'

'Why does the man always have to make the first move?' Jim grumbled lightly.

'Put's us in our place,' Smithy replied. 'At the bottom.'