"I'm never going to forgive you."

Barbara tried not to smile. His complaint was genuine but she had not had any options. "I'm sorry, Winston. Truly sorry, but what could I do?"

"You could have shared with the Super, and given our resident chemical weapon his own room."

"Yeah, right. How would that look if I shared a room with my ex-boss?"

"Logical," he muttered. His face hardened. "Don't. Don't you dare smile. You have no idea what it was like. At 2 am I went out and tried to sleep on the bench in the park. I was that desperate. I should sue The Met for failing to provide a safe workplace."

At that moment Lynley strode in looking shiny and polished and perfect for television. "Good morning. Everyone sleep well?"

"Ugh! What's the use." Winston stormed out of the tent.

"What's up his nose?"

Barbara started to laugh. "Guthrie apparently. They had to share a room. Winston ended up on the bench in the park."

"That's not a laughing matter, Inspector. What do you intend to do?"

"Send Guthrie back to London. How did you sleep?"

"Soundly. I enjoyed dinner. We should do it more often."

"A pretty ordinary pie and two pints and nothing but talk about the case. Next time you can find somewhere a bit fancier if you want to take me out."

Lynley raised his eyebrows then smiled. "Deal."

"What time is your press conference?"

"Nine."

Tommy had cocked his head slightly. He did that when he was considering something. "What?"

He began to smile. "Nothing. I'm fine. Sorry. So what will I tell them?"

By mid-morning it was clear that Barbara was needed back in London. She assigned Guthrie to stay as local liaison. For the first time all day, Winston smiled.

"Unless you think you need to stay too, Sergeant."

Winston's look would have withered the apple tree in the Garden of Eden. "No. Ben's got this covered."

"I'll be fine, ma'am. Sergeant Nkata didn't sleep well apparently. Best if he goes home."

"Good, that's settled. I have set up a meeting with the Assistant Commissioner and Counter Terrorism for two o'clock. I'll send you a number to dial in, Ben."

"Yes, ma'am."

"We'll leave you the car. Winston, find Superintendent Lynley and tell him he has an extra passenger."

Tommy tried not to show any resentment about returning to London or having Winston in the back seat. He was enjoying being part of a case, even peripherally, especially working with Barbara. But that would change once they returned. He would be isolated again in his media cell, writing press releases and doing interviews while she would be hard at work following leads.

"What's on your mind, Sir? Something's bothering you."

"Huh? Oh, not about the case, just about my role. I had hoped we... I would be able to have a few more days with you." He saw her starting to frown. "Like the old days."

She smiled nostalgically. "Yeah, me too. But I can't manufacture a reason to stay."

Winston snorted. Tommy had almost forgotten he was in the back. "I'm bloody glad, or I'd have been locked up for murdering Guthrie."

"Well, we can't have that." Tommy said it as a joke, but he knew it sounded much more sarcastic than was appropriate.

"I have no clue about what happens next."

Tommy heard the fear behind her words. "You follow the clues and you find the killer."

"Yeah, it's that simple isn't it. We don't have any clues."

"We have a lead on Schweindeiner, and we are looking for Mrs Green. We know the stuff is newly made and that recipes are on the internet. That's quite a bit."

"Except that no one knows where this Mrs Green is, or Pigman, or what the connection to Greenland is."

"You can't call him Pigman, Barbara."

She sighed. "Schweindeiner is too much of a mouthful. What about BZS?"

"Much better. No one expects you to solve this in a day."

"No, but..."

Tommy glanced across at her. Her body looked tense. "Nobody, Barbara."

"Except me."

"Why? To prove something? You don't have to. Not to me."

"You're not Hillier."

"Thankfully."

She gave him a rare smile. "Even you're not that bad."

He grinned back. "I shall have to try harder. Now stop worrying."

Barbara shifted her weight from her left foot to her right, then back. Hillier had assembled everyone and Guthrie was on the phone. They were just waiting for Lynley to finish his 2 pm media briefing.

He looked uncomfortable as he came through the door, but Barbara saw him take a quick, sharp breath then neutralise his expression. It was an skill she wished she had learned from him. All eyes turned to her. She walked across to the board and began her briefing.

Five minutes later she asked for questions. This was where she expected her superiors to launch their attacks.

"So," Hillier began, "you have done quite well in 24 hours."

Barbara was taken aback. "Er... I had hoped to have found BZS or Mrs Green."

Guthrie interrupted. "Excuse me, ma'am, but the Danish Police just sent me an email. Schweindeiner operates a tourist company running cruise expeditions on the Greenland west coast. He's based in Eeloolloosack."

"Where?" Barbara asked.

"It's Ilulissat, on Disko Bay in Greenland," Tommy said. "They believe that the iceberg that sank the Titanic calved from the glacier there. It is supposedly one of the most active and spectacular in the world."

Hillier sighed. "Thank you for the travelogue, Superintendent. Constable Guthrie, any other news?"

"Only that his tours stop at some of the lesser known locations and fjords not visited by other operators. They agree he may be up to something, but they have no real grounds for their suspicions."

"In my experience, looking shady, is shady." Everyone turned to look at AC Cameron. He was a thin-faced man with deep indents on his nose where heavy spectacles had been until his recent cataract surgery. Barbara was not sure whether his worried look was the cause or him adjusting to his vision. She stole a quick look at Lynley. He was thinking the same as her. If anyone looked shady, it was Cameron.

She turned to Hillier. "Sir, should we hand this to Counter Terrorism? Or MI6?"

Hillier drummed the tips of his fingers together while he thought. Barbara looked around the room. Everyone was looking at Hillier which gave her a chance to assess their faces. No one had any more ideas than she did.

"Why?"

"Well, Sir, I thought..."

Hillier cut her short. "Not until we have something more definitive."

"Yes, Sir, I thought..."

This time she was interrupted by a knock on the door. "Come in," Hillier bellowed.

Winston popped his head nervously around the door. "Sorry to interrupt, but I thought it might be relevant. I found Mrs Green."

"And?" Barbara prompted.

"She's dead."

"In the hall or previously?"

"Huh? Oh. Oh, previously. Three years ago. I don't know why the local boys didn't know. Anyway the reason I interrupted is that she died in Nuuk."

"Where?"

"The capital of Greenland," Tommy said.

"Guthrie?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Did you hear that?"

The sound of a keyboard being punished came over the speaker phone. "Yes, I am emailing my Danish contact now."

"Good. Let me know as soon as you have anything."

Hillier turned to the assembled hierarchy. "I think it is time to call MI6 in."

For the second time in two hours, Barbara ran through what they knew. Two MI6 officers took notes. Barbara glanced at Tommy who looked neutral and calm, everything she was not. "So we felt you should be advised," she concluded.

The older man, Agent Smith, nodded. "We can make some enquiries, but we have no jurisdiction and have to be very careful. Greenland and Denmark are allies. We can't trample on their patch."

Hillier nodded. "Understood. What do you advise?"

"That you work closely with the Danish Police. I would send Havers here to Nuuk to meet them and do some digging. Greenland uses Danish resources for big cases. The Danes will have someone there to help."

Barbara glanced at Tommy with a quick plea to help. Before she could object to the trip, Hillier spoke. "I agree. Can Nkata handle thing this end for a day or two?"

Barbara grimaced. "Yes, Sir."

"Sir," Tommy said, "I think someone should accompany DI Havers. It's not wise to send one officer into unknown situations like that."

Hillier tolled his eyes. "Take Guthrie."

"No!" Tommy and Barbara spoke as one. They looked at each other.

"His bowels, Sir. We don't want him embarrassed or the Danes to be offended," Tommy said as if he genuinely cared about Guthrie and the Danes.

Hillier frowned. "Nkata can't go. There's no one else with sufficient knowledge of the case. I'm sorry, Havers, you'll have to manage."

"That's not wise, Sir," Tommy said firmly. "I will go. I know the case, and work well with Havers."

"You have a role here. In media liaison. I can't spare you. I warned you about trying to get too involved."

"He's right."

All eyes turned to the Commissioner. "We can find another media officer. I am not comfortable sending a lone officer, no matter how capable. No offence, DI Havers."

"None taken, ma'am."

"But, ma'am, Superintendent Lynley and DI Havers used to be partners."

"I am aware of that. Even more reason that it makes sense. Any objections DI Havers?"

Barbara tried not to smile. Her silver-tongued boss had got his way again. "No ma'am. We work well together. I would be happy to have the Superintendent's experience and advice."

"Right, that's settled. Brief your team, make arrangements with the Danes then go and pack your woollies and get yourselves to Nuuk."

"Yes, ma'am," Barbara said.

"Thank you, ma'am," Tommy added.

The Commissioner flicked her hand, and they took the signal to leave. Barbara was almost out the door when the Commissioner spoke again. "Oh, and Lynley, remember this is Havers' case, you are there to advise, not take over."

"Of course, ma'am."

They shut the door. "You could talk your way into a private audience with the Queen."

Tommy frowned. "Yes, I just have to ask her... oh, I see. Hmm, but you looked pleased in there with my suggestion."

Barbara looked away. "Better than Guthrie I suppose."

"I could eat several tins of baked beans if that would help you feel more at ease with the decision."

She whirled around. "Don't you dare. And just remember. I'm in charge."

"How could I forget? Anyway, I told you, I like decisive women."

Barbara grunted. "Just go home and pack.'

Four hours later they were enroute to Iceland as there were no direct flights to Greenland. As they boarded and found their seats, Tommy turned to her. "I think this is going to be a wonderful adventure."

"I'd settle for a nice murder in London myself."

"Even without me?"

"Nah, always with you."

Tommy gave her the widest, warmest smile. Barbara felt her face getting hot. "Yes, we should always be together."