"Okay, you go and pick up what we need from the office and I'll go and get Innocent to sign off the warrant." Robbie told James as they split in the hallway, James going to their office and Robbie going to their bosses office.

The door to Jean's office was unusually open and in fact empty of the person that Robbie was looking for. He walked the short distance to his own office to find James rooting through a box of evidence looking for what they needed.

"Sergeant..." Robbie addressed James and walked back to their bosses office, signalling that he was to follow, which he did. "Can you remember what was on her desk?" James looked at him puzzled for a moment.

"Yeah, she had a picture of Chris and her old dog..." James began, still confused by Robbie's line of questioning. "They're gone. How are you in here when she isn't?"

"The door was left open and she was absent. Well we can't get a warrant without her here and I doubt she'll be long so we might as well have a cuppa while we've got 5 minutes." Robbie sighed as they both walked back to their office while James tried to suppress the feeling that something was wrong.

James sat at his desk with his drink while Robbie had gone of to the toilet, the first thing that caught his eye was the presence of a white envelope resting against his computer monitor. The writing on the front he would recognise anywhere and it made his heart flutter just thinking of the woman who'd sent it. He looked round just to check that Robbie had not returned and then slid his finger across the lid of the envelope and flicked it open. The scent of Jean's perfume filled the room as James pulled the letter out of the envelope.

Dearest James,

I am so sorry that this is how it's ended, this is what had to happen though. I hope you never doubt how I feel about you because I never lied about that, please remember that once I tell you that we were a mistake. I had the most wonderful time with you, the few months that we were together were the happiest ones that I have ever lived. I remember sat in the cold by the river after that recital with you, when you put your arm around me and told me that you loved me, I'll never forget that night and how it ended because that night was all I had wanted for so long and all I still want. Unfortunately I can't have you, I should never have allowed this to happen, work aside, I'm married. I know that Richard has never been faithful but I took my vows seriously.

By now you may or may not have realised that I'm not in the office, I needed to get away from Oxford and the mess I've made. I've not left you for Richard, because if anything it'd be the other way round and I'd be leaving him for you, but it's just not possible. I've made a mess of my life in Oxford and that's why I needed to get away. Please try to forget about me James, move on with your life. You deserve someone better than me, and trust me you'll get it.

All my love always,

Jean x

He sat back in his chair, unsure of whether she was playing a cruel joke or not. All the pieces fitted together now and he didn't like the picture that they made. He loved Jean, there may have been an age gap, there may have been a difference in ranking too but it didn't matter because he loved her. At first he'd been wary of her marriage, but it wasn't a marriage where either person involved loved the other, and he loved her too much to care after that. He'd even bought everything to make their night amazing, as her husband was away and she could spend a whole night with him. Something wasn't right, he could feel it and intended to find her to fix it.