Maybe it was the fact that she'd arrived at Sun Hill in the middle of a crisis, but Sheelagh soon felt as though she belonged in the station and couldn't picture herself working elsewhere. The prospect of leaving once her temporary placement ended was a distant one she tried not to think about too much. At the moment, she knew for certain that if she was offered the chance to stay then she'd jump at it.

Thanks to her throwing herself into things so quickly, Inspector Gold had no qualms about sending her where she was needed. She found herself covering CSU while June Ackland was away, for instance, and she was finding her way around the borough rather neatly now. The flip side of that was that people began treating her as a bit of an agony aunt. Being roped into talking to Ken Drummond's wife after she'd discovered his double life wasn't something she'd relished, but she'd at least set some wheels in motion for him.

There was one person in the station she didn't so much mind confiding in her, though she didn't get the feeling it would be a regular occurrence. The little chats she'd had with Samantha Nixon while Joanna was missing were a bit perplexing in hindsight. From what she'd heard since, it was rare for Sam to discuss much besides the professional with her colleagues. The exception to that rule seemed to be her chats with Gina Gold, and she'd walked past the inspector's office the other night to see the pair having a drink together. Even so, Sam was famed for her boundaries and Sheelagh got the feeling she'd bulldozed her own way through them by accident.

Sure, she'd been happy to provide some respite for a superior officer at the end of her tether, but even she didn't understand the impulse that had, as soon as she'd heard Joanna was alive and en-route to hospital, prompted her to deliver a bar of chocolate up to the DI's office. Afterwards she'd felt a little silly really, wondering whether Sam would just think it was a little odd. In some respects, it was. However, the next time Sheelagh passed her in the corridor she received a big smile that left her in no doubt that her strange burst of inspiration had been a welcome one. After that, normal service resumed, though Sheelagh couldn't help but think that, should Sam ever need a sympathetic ear, she might find herself called upon. Or, rather, she would put herself in the way because, as she'd heard more than once, Samantha Nixon didn't ask for help, not even with catching serial killers.

The next time Sheelagh found herself in CID it was running like a well-oiled machine. When she walked through the door there was Sam, travelling from one desk to the next, methodical and efficient. Sheelagh hated to interrupt her flow so just edged forward until she was hovering around the whiteboard. Sam turned around to check something on it and yanked herself to a stop, a small smile on her face.

'Are you waiting for me?' she asked.

'Yes, Guv,' she replied, having noted over the last few days that Sam preferred that form of address. 'I didn't want to interrupt.'

'Come on, come through,' Sam said, walking her into the office and perching on the end of her desk. She looked remarkably well now she was fully recovered after the Joanna Sharpe investigation, Sheelagh noticed. 'What can I do for you?' Sam questioned.

She held out a file. 'Inspector Gold said you wanted to look at these suspect lists for the hit-and-run on the Larkmead.'

Sam chuckled as she took it. 'I think Gina's got that a bit backwards.'

'Ah. I could always say I couldn't find you?' Sheelagh suggested.

'No, she'd only send you back later,' Sam answered. 'Sit down, I'll have a skim through and you can be my witness.'

They settled on either side of the desk. To most people Sam Nixon's demeanour right now – hunched over the file, rattling a pen on the desk – would be a sign to rapidly retreat from her office. Sheelagh, however, knew she wouldn't have been asked to stay if Sam didn't want her there so she enjoyed the peace of five minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the downstairs corridors. She could've mentioned the fact that Abigail Nixon had been looking around the station yesterday as a topic of conversation, but she didn't. If Sam wanted to discuss her daughter then she'd volunteer the information and it wasn't Sheelagh's place to intrude.

'I was looking for you yesterday actually,' Sam said suddenly, glancing up.

'I was out on the Coal Lane Estate,' she replied. After a moment of deliberation, she added, 'I heard Abi was here for a bit of work experience.'

Sam nodded, leaning back in her chair. 'I would've liked to introduce you. Although you still might see her around – she's back in today organising some sort of drugs bust with Matt.'

Raising an eyebrow, Sheelagh asked, 'Is she following in your footsteps already?'

'I doubt it,' Sam answered with a grimace. 'I think it's related to a fight she got into yesterday when she left here, but Matt seems confident enough about her information so I'm leaving it with him.' Looking beyond Sheelagh into the main office, she called, 'Mickey, what are you doing here? I told you to go with Danny.'

Sheelagh glanced over as the DC sheepishly appeared in the doorway holding up his mobile. 'Forgot my phone, Guv.'

'Well, is Danny waiting for you?' Sam questioned.

'Yes, Guv,' he muttered, though he didn't move.

Sheelagh's eyes slipped back to Sam as she said, 'Is there something else, Mickey?'

With an indistinct mumble, he disappeared around the corner and Sheelagh stifled her laughter, though Sam was grinning too. 'What was all that about?' she asked when she could manage it.

'Oh, they're behaving like kids,' Sam replied. 'Do you know, I actually had to tell them to be nice to each other earlier? I felt like bashing their heads together.'

'Probably a more useful impulse,' Sheelagh commented. 'At least from your point of view.'

'Don't encourage me,' Sam warned, looking back to the file and making a few notes before handing it back. 'Remind Gina it's not an exact science. If it was then I wouldn't have that mountain to look through,' she added with a nod towards the tottering pile in her in-tray.

'I'll do my best,' Sheelagh said as she rose. 'See you later.'

'Bye, Sheelagh,' was the relaxed response.


The next few days were busy ones and Sheelagh found herself more out of the station than in, partnering Gemma on patrols around the Coal Lane Estate while much of uniform was dealing with the shooting of a schoolteacher. When she finally got back to the station something felt a little off, though she couldn't put her finger on it. Walking past the briefing room, she was surprised to see a figure sat inside in darkness. Flicking the light on, she encountered Reg, deep in thought and hands clasped on his knees.

'Reg?' she said, closing the door.

He nearly jumped out of his skin. 'Oh, hello, Sarge,' he murmured.

Sitting beside him, she asked, 'Is something wrong?'

'You haven't heard then?' he returned.

'Heard what? I've been out on patrol all day, I've only just got back.'

'I've reported Sergeant Boyden to the Super for taking advantage of the DI's daughter.'

'Abigail?' she questioned as her stomach jolted. 'She's fifteen years old.'

'He claims she said she was older,' Reg answered. 'But I couldn't let it go, you know? Course, he's denied it, but I know what I saw. The other night he was wrapped around her in the street – there was nothing platonic about that. Then at the school today he was unbuttoning her shirt, Sarge. What could I do?'

Sheelagh's mind was racing. She wondered what sort of nightmare Sam had been plunged into now, just when she seemed to be out of the quagmire that was the Joanna Sharpe investigation. It was every mother's worst nightmare to hear something like that about your daughter, especially when the man involved was meant to be a responsible role model.

'You did exactly the right thing, Reg,' she said firmly. 'Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It's illegal for a reason. Is Superintendent Okaro pursuing it?'

He shrugged. 'Matt claims it's not true. He had a right go at me in the canteen. I suppose they'll ask Abigail about it, at the moment it's just my word against his.'

Standing, she patted his shoulder. 'You should go home, your shift's finished.'

Automatically, he rose and she saw him out of the briefing room and in the direction of the locker room before she stopped to think about what she was going to do. She stood there for so long that she saw Mickey Webb wandering along the corridor only to be grabbed by Robbie Cryer going in the opposite direction.

'How's the DI?' Robbie asked and, despite her usual misgivings about eavesdropping, Sheelagh stepped a little closer.

'Bear with a sore head doesn't cover it,' Mickey replied. 'She's shut herself in the office, no one's going near. Most of 'em have gone home.'

Having heard all she needed to, Sheelagh went to the female locker room and got changed. Only when she was ready to go home did she actually make a decision and, instead of leaving the station, climbed the stairs to CID.

It was deserted, no one apparently wanting to stay in the vicinity of Samantha Nixon at the moment. In truth, Sheelagh doubted the wisdom of what she was about to do, but she respected the DI too much not to at least give it a go. So she rounded the corner to the interior office and found the door slightly ajar, though the light beyond was dim. Steeling herself, she pressed her hand to the door and it creaked open.

Sam, sat back in her chair with a glass of whisky, jumped and opened her mouth. Then she realised who it was and looked down at her desk. Sheelagh took that as her green light and closed the door behind her before sitting down.

'How are you doing?' she asked softly.

Sam let out a derisive chuckle and held up her glass. 'Better for this.' She took a sip then exhaled heavily, eyes still fixed on her paperwork. 'Is everybody talking?'

'Afraid so.' Sheelagh hesitated and took a moment to study the woman in front of her. It was a complete contrast to the enthusiastic, energetic copper she'd encountered in this office just the other day; now she seemed at war with herself and everyone else. 'Sam...'

The murmur drew Sam's eyes up to meet hers finally, and the mask cracked. She took another gulp of her drink then said, 'There were signs. I should've seen it coming. I mean, why would Abi suddenly take an interest in shopping one of her mates for dealing? I should've known there was more to it. But I was happy, you know?' she went on. 'She was here at the nick and she was being polite, making up for the last time. It felt for a minute like it was...normal, I suppose. That me and her were a normal mother and daughter. We're not,' she concluded, swirling her whisky around before draining her glass.

Watching her carefully, Sheelagh asked, 'What does Abi say about it? Did Matt force her into it?'

Sam stood and walked to the filing cabinet, resting against it as some sort of crutch. 'Oh, this is where it gets really good. First she claimed that he was just comforting her, that Reg misinterpreted what he saw at the school today. Her defence for Tuesday was that he'd seen it wrong. I mean, come on. If you were on one of those game shows about memory or observation, who would you want on your team?'

'Reg Hollis,' said Sheelagh with a smile.

'Exactly,' Sam replied. 'I knew she was lying so I pushed her and... Well, she claims it was consensual, that she wanted it.'

The look of disgust on Sam's face was probably matched on Sheelagh's own. 'That's rubbish,' she said firmly. 'Abigail's fifteen years old, there's no such thing as consent. He's abused his position, whatever she says.'

Nodding, Sam turned around and retrieved a bottle of whisky from the filing cabinet. After refilling her glass, she returned the bottle to its hiding place and settled back in her chair.

'I must say,' Sheelagh went on finally, 'you're calmer than I would be.'

Sam snorted. 'Does tripping him up in the yard and sticking my boot against his throat count as calm?'

Sheelagh smothered her smile. 'Well, it's not where I would've stuck it.'

Meeting her eye, Sam burst out laughing. It only lasted a few seconds but it seemed to release some of the tension in her frame. Then she muttered, 'I don't know where we go from here, I really don't. I want to string Matt up and as for Abi...' With a growl, she took another swig of whisky. 'When the Super told me, it was a visceral reaction, I couldn't breathe, I wanted to throw up. This is a nightmare. I don't even know what to do with it.'

As she made to raise the glass again, Sheelagh reached across and gently pressed her hand back towards the desk. 'That's not the answer, I can promise you that.'

'Have you got a better idea?' Sam returned.

Sheelagh squeezed her hand. 'I've seen the whole of CID go into a panic when you walk into the room,' she said. 'You're not telling me that you can't handle this because you can. I know you can.'

Staring at her, Sam questioned, 'How can you have that kind of faith in me? You barely know me.'

'Honestly? I don't know,' Sheeagh replied with a shrug. 'It's just a feeling you get sometimes, isn't it? Gut instinct.'

'I use that to catch criminals, not...' Sam trailed off and managed a small smile. 'I should go home.'

With one last sincere squeeze, Sheelagh released her hand and stood. 'Glad to hear it.'

Sam was watching her, biting down on her lip. After a moment, she rose and said, 'I need to ask you a favour, Sheelagh. It'll sound stupid but –'

'Our little secret,' she interrupted, anticipating where Sam was going with that. 'In fact, we never had this conversation. But you don't have to worry, you know. I'm not going to be blabbing anything around the station, nor do I think you're weak for being upset about this.'

'It's just... I like to keep things professional,' Sam said.

Sheelagh almost chuckled, wondering how much Sam believed in that statement and how aware she was that they'd already crossed the boundary of the professional and personal, whether she liked it or not. Still, Sheelagh could allow the illusion of a dividing line, especially if it was one of the only comforts Sam was going to get in the near future.

'Sure,' she said, heading for the door.

'Sheelagh,' Sam said abruptly, drawing her back. 'Thank you for checking on me.'

'Anytime,' she answered, holding her gaze for a second before slipping out of the door and heading in the direction of home.


The next few days were hectic. Gary Best had been put undercover at a school and there'd been a spate of burglaries on the Coal Lane since the departure of the last Ward Officer. That was something she needed to deal with but, as things stood, she couldn't think of a suitable candidate. As she was pondering that, she caught sight of Sam battering through a set of doors and striding along the corridor. She hadn't seen much of her since the other evening, though she at least seemed to have a bit of her swagger back. It might only be a mask, but Sheelagh knew how much it meant to her to have it.

'Guv,' she called, catching up with her, 'how's Gary getting on at the school?'

'Well, nothing on the dealers yet,' Sam replied, 'but it's gonna take a while to build the kids' trust.'

Sheelagh glanced sideways. 'I thought the schools were against undercover ops?'

'Well, the governors have had three ODs on their hands, they're pretty desperate,' Sam said as they passed through the next set of doors.

After a moment of deliberation, she couldn't help but ask, 'Kids haven't sussed Gary then?'

A glimmer of amusement crossed Sam's face. 'No,' she said. 'He's enjoying himself far too much for that.'

Sheelagh could imagine that easily enough, his antics in the station proving more than a match for the playground at times. It was a skill-set not often required in the MET and she had no doubt he was loving deploying it in the name of undercover work.

'Well,' she said, meeting her eye to let her know that the offer wasn't just confined to the case, 'let us know if you need any help.'

Sam glanced around and lowered her voice a touch. 'Well, actually, Sheelagh, as soon as Gary gives us the nod I'm gonna need some help coordinating the raid.'

Sheelagh slowed her step, uncertain. 'I thought Matt had been assigned.'

There was a flash of the assured Sam Nixon Sheelagh had grown to admire so quickly. 'Yeah, well, that can be undone,' she said.

They were near the bathroom and, after looking along the corridor, Sam gestured for them to slip inside. Unfortunately, there was someone else in there. It might only have been June, but Sheelagh had to quickly adjust to not having the type of bizarrely intimate conversation she'd grown used to with Sam in her first few weeks at the station. To cover her discomfort – and to make it seem as though she hadn't come in here expressely for a private conversation with Samantha Nixon – she moved past June to wash her hands.

Sam adjusted to the alteration with her usual ease, directing her comments to the pair of them. 'Matt has got away with seducing my daughter,' she said.

As Sheelagh's heart sank, June questioned, 'Isn't Mr Okaro taking action?'

'He can't,' Sam answered as Sheelagh went to dry her hands. 'Abi won't say anything against Matt. And I can hardly drag her through a prosecution.'

Though her impulse was to console her, June's presence checked that and Sheelagh recalled her promise to pretend they'd never spoken of this mess before. So, instead, she laid it on thick and said, 'A colleague's daughter's bad enough but a fifteen year old girl? It's disgusting.'

'So what are you gonna do?' asked June.

'You must wanna kill him,' Sheelagh added. 'I know I would.'

Sam caught her eye briefly, betraying approval of her approach to this frankly strange conversation they were involved in before saying, 'Well, I want him out of here, that's for sure. So can I count on your support?'

'What,' June said, 'are you gonna go after him then?'

'He's not fit to be a copper,' Sam replied.

When June glanced to her, Sheelagh reined in her initial affirmative answer and said, in a much more measured tone, 'Well, I don't know what I can do to help but...yeah.'

Nodding at Sam and receiving the smallest of smiles for her trouble, she left the bathroom. There was only so long she could pretend that she hadn't privately decided to support Samantha Nixon in this mess days ago and, besides, she had things to do if she was going to be involved in a raid at some point today.

Walking down the corridor a little later, she saw Matt chatting to an unfamiliar woman who she assumed was PC Page returning from sick leave. Her irritation at Matt, barely kept in check over the last few days, frothed closer to the surface.

'Matt,' she said, 'you're meant to be in custody.'

'Well, I don't think so,' he answered in his usual brusque manner. 'I'm on that school job if anything comes of it.'

Sheelagh repressed her smirk. 'Well, the DI's put me on that.'

'You what?' Matt asked incredulously.

'She asked for me specially,' replied Sheelagh, feeling more than a touch of satisfaction as his face contorted. Disregarding his exploits with Abigail for a minute, the rest of what she'd heard about her fellow sergeant was hardly endearing. Sexist and homophobic, he barely regarded her as a step up from her gay predecessor, and he certainly wasn't keen on the idea of her taking over a raid he expected to be a part of.

'We'll see about that,' he muttered, barging past and leaving her with the unfamiliar blonde.

'You must be Polly,' Sheelagh said, turning to her.

'Yeah, that's right,' Polly answered.

Holding out her hand, she said, 'I'm Sheelagh. Great to have you back.'

As she carried on along the corridor, Polly brought her back with, 'You don't happen to know where CSU is, do you?'

Sheelagh smiled and put an arm around her shoulders. 'Of course, this way.'

'I thought I knew this place inside out,' Polly said as they headed towards the staircase.

'There's been a lot of changes brought in,' Sheelagh replied. 'You know, since the fire.'

'Yeah.' Polly gestured back down the stairs. 'I see Matt's his usual cheerful self.'

It didn't take much for her antipathy towards Matt to rear its ugly head. Since it was the talk of the nick anyway, she didn't feel like she was betraying Sam by letting Polly in on the station gossip. 'He's just got away with seducing the DI's daughter,' she explained. 'She's only fifteen.'

Polly stared at her. 'You're joking?'

'It's the DI I feel sorry for,' Sheelagh said, with complete sincerity. 'Daughter's a wild one.'

'But fifteen is fifteen,' said Polly.

'Exactly,' she returned. 'Not that any of the blokes see it that way. Oh, apart from Reg,' she concluded with a satisfied smile.

A grin settled on Polly's face. 'Aw, good old Reg, eh?'

Smiling, Sheelagh showed her into CSU and watched her reunion with June. It was nice to see somebody happy in this place, however long it might last.

Gary came good with some information on the school drug dealers and a raid was planned at an amusement arcade in a short while. After telling the troops there was going to be a briefing, she went in search of Sam to double-check their strategy for the raid. She located her upstairs in her office, chuckling to herself. Sheelagh hesitated in the doorway, a little perplexed to find Sam in such a good humour.

Sam sensed her presence and glanced up, still smiling. 'Ah, Sheelagh, you got my message.'

'Are you feeling okay?' she asked.

Laughing again, Sam indicated for her to close the door. 'Why do you look so worried?'

'I can't think,' she replied. 'What's happened?'

'Oh, nothing,' Sam said. 'Sit down, sit down.'

'No, come on,' Sheelagh persisted as she followed the instruction, 'what have you done?'

'Very cynical of you, Sheelagh,' Sam replied, more than amused.

'Well, I saw the look on your face earlier,' she said. 'That was determination, I have to say.'

Sam's lips twitched. 'Good to know you're on my side though.'

'I don't think that was ever in doubt,' she answered. 'Now, tell me, what's happened?'

'I had Nick in here a little while ago,' Sam said after a moment. 'Matt had sent him up to do his dirty work as Fed Rep, asking me to lay off. You should've seen Nick's face. He didn't want the job in the first place, never mind coming in here and trying to intimidate me.'

'Yeah,' Sheelagh murmured, 'I can't see that working.'

Sam shrugged. 'Made me feel better, wiping the floor with him.'

'Well, Matt wasn't too happy about being pulled off the raid,' she said.

'No,' answered Sam, grinning again, 'he wasn't, was he?'

Sheelagh cleared her throat and clasped her hands on the desk. 'Now, what about this raid?'

In a moment, the professional Samantha Nixon was back. She ran through the information Gary had given them and the timeframe they were looking at. It would be a simple enough operation, going for the dealers and not the kids, though the key was keeping Gary out of the firing line if things turned nasty.

'Oh, speaking of Gary,' Sam said as they rose to go down to the briefing room, 'I doubt he'll ever be able to look me in the face again.'

'Why, what did you do to him?' questioned Sheelagh.

'You've got such a low opinion of me, haven't you?' Sam returned.

'Not quite,' she answered. 'What's wrong with Gary?'

Sam paused with her hand on the door. 'Some of the comments his new school friends were making about me and him made him blush a little.'

Snorting, Sheelagh quirked an eyebrow. 'You're never going to let him forget it, are you?'

'Well, we all have our moments of wickedness, Sheelagh.'

As soon as they were out of the office, Sam morphed back into the model police officer, checking in on a few other cases as they proceeded down to the briefing room. Once everyone had assembled, it was a pleasure to see her in full flow, reciting Gary's information in much more commanding tones than she had upstairs. Nick earned a rebuke when he entered late and, though Sheelagh shot him a disapproving look of her own, she barely repressed her smile at the idea of Sam's earlier confrontation with him.

'Sheelagh?' Sam said after she'd completed her portion of the briefing.

Stepping forward, she handed posters round to the team and explained, 'Gary will observe and when the dealers are on site will attempt to steer them outside. Luke, Tony and Nick will then pick up the dealers and the rest of us will sort out the kids. Any questions?'

They all shook their heads and Sam said, 'Right, you don't need me to tell you this is a very sensitive operation. If all goes well we'll be heroes, if not we'll be dirt.'

'What else is new?' Tony asked, raising a collective chuckle.

Sam was first off the mark, eager to get the operation underway. She did, however, find time to make a comment to Nick as she passed, one that didn't exactly make him look more comfortable. With most superior officers, Sheelagh would dislike that blatant dominance, but she'd let it slide for Samantha Nixon at the moment.

Leaving the briefing room, she was walking towards the locker room to change back into her civilian clothes when she caught sight of Des Taviner putting his arm around Polly Page and giving her a kiss. An idea began to percolate in Sheelagh's mind as she heard what he was saying.

'Here, listen, if you need anything now that you're back you just come and see me, all right?'

Polly grinned. 'Cheers, mate.'

Sheelagh walked through the middle of them, budging his arm up. 'Aren't you the lucky one, Pol?'

As she continued along the corridor, the idea that had gripped her refused to be easily banished. It wouldn't go down well with Des but, then, very little did from what she'd heard. In the meantime, she had a raid to coordinate with Sam.


Once Tony, Luke and Nick had vacated the van, it was a little quiet, though it wasn't an uncomfortable silence. Sheelagh guessed that most officers caught in this situation with DI Nixon would find it excruciating, but she wasn't one of them. They were around the back of the amusement arcade, with the three PCs around the front and a van waiting a few streets away. Sat probably closer than was entirely necessary on the long seat, Sheelagh could feel the energy radiating from Sam. She was keen to get involved in the raid, the copper in her irresistibly peeking out as she checked with Nick. Her frustration when he reported no activity was endearing, though Sheelagh naturally kept that thought to herself.

Suddenly, the radio crackled and Tony's voice rang through: 'DI Nixon from 595.'

Sheelagh glanced at Sam, suddenly animated as she replied, 'Go ahead, Tony.'

'Hope I'm wrong, Guv,' he said. 'Think I've just seen your daughter approaching my location.'

Inwardly wincing, Sheelagh dragged her gaze away from her friend. Then Sam demanded, 'Is it her or not?'

'I couldn't get a clear sighting,' Tony answered, 'but she's gone into the arcade.'

Reluctantly, Sheelagh looked back to Sam and muttered, 'We'd better call it off.'

Sam bit down on her lip. 'No, it's not her. It can't be.'

From her voice, Sheelagh wasn't convinced she didn't think it was a probability. It was more hopeful than anything and Sheelagh certainly didn't think it was out of the realms of possibility that Abi would be visiting a dubious amusement arcade given her recent troubles. Nevertheless, she couldn't – and wouldn't – try to overrule Sam. She just had to hope that Tony was mistaken.

As the two of them watched intently, kids began spilling out into the yard. Gary was amongst them, though he seemed on edge. After a moment, a blonde girl in a Harvey Wallace Comprehensive uniform stepped out of the doors. Beside her, Sam let out a soft growl and Sheelagh grimaced. Their luck had just run out. Now all they could hope was that Gary would get out of there in one piece. Seeing Abi, he quickly made for the gate. From this distance, Sheelagh couldn't hear what was said but she saw the upshot – Abi identified Gary as a copper and all the kids suddenly went for him.

Sam brought the radio up to her mouth. 'All units – go, go go.'

The van pulled up and a dozen officers piled out and yanked the students away from Gary. Sam jumped out of the passenger-side door and Sheelagh followed her, disregarding all the fleeing pupils in favour of matching pace with her superior officer. When Sam jumped over a struggling body, so did she, managing to keep up with her until she slowed to a halt inside the arcade. She'd caught sight of Abi sidling up to Luke in a very provocative manner. It wasn't clear whether Abi knew her mother was watching, but she definitely knew she was in the vicinity at least.

'Very masterful,' Abi was saying. 'You're kinda cute, do you know that?' Reaching up, she stroked Luke's cheek. 'You find me attractive, I know you do.'

When she tried to kiss him, Luke pulled away. 'Abi, stop it,' he insisted. Quick as a flash, Abi's attitude altered and she slapped him hard.

'Oi, that's enough,' Sheelagh called, edging past Sam to defend one of her relief. Luke took charge, reading Abi her rights as he took her into custody.

Sam watched the proceedings apparently shell-shocked, as if she was watching someone else's daughter not her own. After a moment of deliberation, Sheelagh placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She was worried it would seem too forward, seem too much like crossing that invisible boundary that Sam wanted to keep between them. But, finally, Sam reached back and covered her hand with her own. It lasted only for a second but Sheelagh appreciated the gratitude it betrayed.

'I need to...' Sam glanced back, her mental faculties running slow. She swallowed. 'I've got to get back to the nick.'

Sheelagh nodded, rubbing small circles into her back. 'Come on. Let's get it over with.'

The distance between them reasserted itself on the journey back to the station and they went their separate ways in the yard, Sam latching herself onto the group of prisoners that included Abi and Sheelagh hanging back with the rest. When she finally got inside, Sam had left custody and Sheelagh booked in her own prisoners under the smug gaze of Matt Boyden. She briefly wondered what had passed between him and Sam when Abi had been booked in, but, judging by the smirk on his face, he thought he'd come out as the victor.

As Sheelagh was leaving custody, she was caught by Luke. 'Honestly, Sarge,' he said. 'I did nothing to encourage Abi.'

She glanced at him. 'From what I saw, you don't have to worry.'

'I just don't want to be put through the mill like Sergeant Boyden,' he explained.

Sheelagh winced. This situation was just the vindication Matt needed to perpetuate the rumour that his indiscretion with Abi wasn't his fault at all. Most of the station was looking for an excuse to believe him, and Abi had just handed it to him on a plate.

Kerry came through the doors to their right, saying to her husband, 'Well, well, I've been hearing all about your exploits.'

'He conducted himself perfectly,' said Sheelagh.

'Sure he did, Sarge,' Kerry answered in a tone she didn't fully understand. That puzzle was wiped from her mind as Sam darted out from an office.

'Sheelagh,' she said. 'Do me a favour. Handle Abigail's case.'

There was a moment when she considered acquiescing without argument, but then she remembered she had a duty to the relief as well as Sam and pointed out, 'Luke's perfectly capable.'

'Well, I know you'll be discreet,' Sam said.

That was the clincher and Sheelagh knew she'd deal with Abi's caution and process her as rapidly as was appropriate. However, she still felt the need to suggest, 'Perhaps you should drop this thing with Matt.'

Sam snorted. 'Er, no chance.'

Though she understood her bullishness, she had to issue another note of caution. 'But Luke's worried he's next in line,' she said.

'Well, he's no need to be,' Sam answered. 'He's innocent.'

With that, Sam continued along the corridor and Sheelagh watched after her, sensing the artificial composure in every step. It wasn't that she didn't sympathise – she did – but she could sense how this would play out now and she was concerned how that would reflect back on Sam.

Of course, she decided it would be easier for her to deal with Abigail in the end and save Luke any embarrassing interviews. Once in the interview room, though, she was faced with a younger version of Samantha who, unfortunately, didn't seem as eager to confide in her as her mother.

'You do understand why you're here, Abi?' Sheelagh questioned. 'You've been cautioned for assaulting a police officer. It's a serious offence.'

'Then why are you only cautioning me?' Abi retorted.

Sheelagh pressed her lips together. 'PC Ashton doesn't want to press charges.'

'Against the DI's daughter? I'm sure he doesn't.'

'It's nothing to do with that,' she answered. 'But I do want to make sure you realise what kind of trouble you could be in if you do something like this again.'

Shrugging, Abi remained stubbornly silent. Sheelagh extracted the responses she could then accepted she was going to get no more out of her. Taking her back to the custody desk, she found that Matt was still on duty. She asked him to discharge Abi then turned half-away, ostensibly to check along the corridor. She didn't miss the way he looked at her nor his little, 'Well done,' which he thought she couldn't possibly hear. The perils of having three teenagers had sharpened her hearing over the years and it was certainly coming in handy now.

With the formalities done, Sheelagh gestured for Abi to wait near the office, intending to go and get Sam. Before she did, however, Abi grabbed her arm.

'Is he okay?' she asked quietly. 'The other officer, the one who was undercover.'

Sheelagh stopped short. 'He is, luckily. But you deliberately put him in danger, Abi. Why did you do that?'

Abi lowered her eyes. 'I don't know.'

'Well, I don't buy that,' replied Sheelagh. 'You're a smart girl, and I don't believe you want to see anyone hurt.'

There was a pause then the teenager raised her chin again. 'What, no one?'

Sighing, Sheelagh said, 'She loves you a lot.'

'No,' Abi argued, 'she loves her job and this place. You don't know her.'

'I don't,' she conceded, recalling her promise of that invisible line drawn between Samantha and herself that prohibited clarification on that point. 'But I did see her today, Abi, and that was enough to show anyone that she loves you.'

'Not enough anyway.'

'Is that what this was about?' Sheelagh questioned after a moment. 'You wanted her attention, like when you ran away?'

Again, Abi shrugged and her eyes flickered in the direction of Matt still at the desk and unsuccessfully trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. Joining the dots of that escapade and this one in her mind, Sheelagh patted Abi on the shoulder and left her stewing. Slowly, she climbed the stairs up to CID, wondering what, if anything, she was going to say to Sam on the matter. The department was quiet again, but the door to Sam's office was shut fast. She knocked and then, when there was no response, opened the door gingerly. She found it wasn't rudeness on the part of the DI but genuine ignorance. Sam was staring into space, the only noise in the office coming from the hum of the computer. Sheelagh stepped inside and closed the door quietly before sitting opposite her and clearing her throat.

That did the trick. Sam jumped and then blinked at her. 'How long have you been sat there?'

'I literally just sat down.' She paused. 'Are you okay?'

Sam exhaled, massaging her temple. 'I've had the headmaster on at me.' With a grim chuckle, she continued, 'You can tell how bad a day it's been right there, can't you? We pulled in the kids, he's not happy.'

'We didn't have a choice,' Sheelagh replied. 'They were kicking seven bells out of Gary.'

'I know, I know. Doesn't make it any less of a mess. You were right,' she went on, 'we should've aborted the operation when Tony spotted Abi.'

'No,' she said firmly, 'there wasn't a chance to safely pull Gary out of there. It all happened too quickly.'

Sam scanned her face, probably searching for a lie. 'Maybe,' she said finally. 'Have you finished with Abigail?'

'Yeah, she's waiting downstairs for you. She wasn't very chatty.'

'Didn't she say anything that might...' Trailing off, Sam leaned back into her chair. 'Sorry.'

Sheelagh gazed at her sympathetically. 'You need to talk to her.'

'Yep.' Sam placed her palms flat on the desk then seemed to draw herself back together. Within seconds she looked like she was spoiling for a fight. Standing, she said, 'Thanks, Sheelagh. Thanks for today.'

'I didn't do anything,' she replied as they left the office.

'You did,' murmured Sam, 'and I appreciate it. I'll see you.'

With that, she picked up her pace and stormed out of CID. Sheelagh winced at the anger in her stride but maybe that was what mother and daughter needed right now. She made her way down to the locker room, eager to get home after a difficult day. As she walked, though, she recalled the decision she'd come to earlier and remembered that she had some news to pass on to Des Taviner. Passing a smug Matt in the corridor, she caught up with Des on the way out of the station and informed him that he was going to be the new Ward Officer on the Coal Lane Estate. To say he was unimpressed would be an understatement, and that was the only reason Sheelagh managed to leave Sun Hill with a smile on her face.