It was Zain Nadir. Stuart tried to tell himself that it didn't matter who it was, he had a job to do. He leafed through the folder of pictures he had been given and winced. Whatever Zain had done, he was already paying for it, but this...

He should hate Zain Nadir; he knew that. He was Stuart Turner, the office hardcase, he didn't feel things deeply, he shouldn't care about feelings or the victim in this case.

But it wasn't working out like that.

Stuart had hurt himself a time or two in the line of duty, he'd broken the odd bone, and once he had separated his shoulder in a struggle with a suspect, but he'd never experienced anything like Zain's injuries.

The half-length from the front shot was the worst, Zain naked from the waist up, lying on his side, his face in shadow, his right arm twisted at a strange angle. If you could tear your eyes away from the terrible bruising, and the places where flesh was stretched over bone twisted brutally; the realisation that Zain's eyes were open, that he was fully conscious throughout... the pain he had to have been in...

Stuart felt sick.

He looked up at the surgeon, "Can you explain the difference between fractures again?" Trying to keep his voice even.

The man switched on the lightbox, and traced the line of the fracture to Zain's right arm on the x-ray, "a spiral stress fracture, no possibility that it was accidental." He turned to face Stuart, "his right arm was literally torn out of its socket. It takes considerable force to do something like that. It didn't happen in a fall from a bunk bed. The fracture would present differently. I would lay money on it being from some kind of punishment session."

"What do you think happened?" Stuart was half afraid to ask. Not sure he even wanted to imagine the details of what had been inflicted on his former colleague.

Patiently the surgeon explained the possibilities.

...ooo0ooo...

Jo worked her way through the two reports, checking for inconsistencies; trying to match her knowledge of Zain against what Adams, the prison officer had said.

Adams said it was a fall. From a bunk bed. Jo knew it wasn't. Zain was strong, fit and athletic; granted three years of incarceration would have changed him, but he was still fit and healthy. Adams' report did not make sense.

Jo sat back and thought about it. There was definitely something there. Whichever way you looked at it, the rational explanation was that there was a prison officer involved. Zain had been found on the floor of his cell, at nine-thirty in the morning, there was no note of him being there when they opened up at eight-thirty.

The swing doors opened, and Stuart came through them. Normally he would blow into CID like a small hurricane, everybody aware of his presence within a few seconds of his arrival. This time he walked over to his desk, uncharacteristically quiet and subdued.

Jo turned to face him. "Stu?" He slumped into his chair, and raked his hands through his hair and shrugged.

"Just thinking."

She put the file down. "About?"

He looked away from her, "Jo that could have been me."

"Stu... what are you talking about?"

He looked back at her, "Jo, ever wondered where I would be if the Postman case had turned out differently?"

Jo pushed her chair back and got to her feet. "Stuart, let's go and put together what we have so far."

He picked up the file and followed her into the briefing room. She flicked the switch for the interactive board, as he moved to pin up the pictures he had been given at the hospital.

As he pinned the last one in place, she closed the blinds, giving them some privacy. "Now what's this about the Postman?"

Stuart sighed. "The whole thing."

"Stuart Turner, what are you talking about?"

"I would be in prison right now."

Jo walked right up to him, as he slumped against the table. He looked down at the floor, avoiding her gaze, she put her hand on the back of his neck and gently rubbed. "Stu. One fundamental difference, you didn't cross the line."

He tried to shrug it off. "But..."

"But nothing," Jo said firmly, "You were arrogant and stupid admittedly, but you couldn't cross that line."

"Zain..."

"Zain did what he did because he made a mistake. And he didn't have anybody to help him out of it, bring him back." Jo rested her forehead against Stu's for a moment. "I wish..."

Stu's arms slid around her waist and he hugged her to him. "You wish you could have helped Zain, like you saved me." He said quietly. "If it wasn't for you Jo, that's what I'm trying to say."

"I know, hun. I know."