F-L-A-V-I-A

James handed the paper back to Robbie. "Flavia, derived from the Latin Flavus."

"Yeah, meaning golden haired."

"Well done you, Robert." James handed Robbie a CD.

"What's this?"

"It's some New Age World music for your little houseguest."

"She is a member of the family, not a guest. And thank-you. Laura has been playing classical music for her on the piano. I can't convince her the bairn should listen to Morse's Wagner collection."

James studied the ceiling for a moment. "Is Laura going to be able to give the baby up when the time comes?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"When the mother recovers or if another family member, the father perhaps, comes to claim her."

"She's not luggage waiting to be claimed."

"Still there could be complications and it sounds like Laura is getting attached to someone else's child."

Robbie pulled out his phone to show James a photo of Godfather and Goddaughter. "She's not the only one. I look forward to going home to two beautiful Hobson women each night."

Green returned with their sandwiches and coffee. Over lunch they continued to discuss the link between Alec Pickman's death and the case of the small bombs.

James held up a copy of Grace Orde's book, now remaindered. "Could she be behind the small bombs?"

Robbie shook his head. "Not her style, unless she paid someone to do it."

"And you are certain the pattern of bombs leading to the prison means something?"

"If I were Morse I would say everything means something."

"If you were Morse I'd be buying your pints at the pub right now."

A uniformed officer came to tell them there was CCTV footage from cameras at the Red Crawl. Robbie, James, and Green watched as some familiar faces entered the club. James wished he could post Lizzie there officially to watch the comings and goings. She would be above suspicion as a club regular, or at least James believed it was one of her frequent drinking establishments. If only she wasn't off on a temporary assignment. Robbie and James were fixated on the still well preserved Grace Orde sitting at the bar with a young man, one of Peterson's persons of interest. Green noticed another man at the edge of the shot, rather large and dressed in black. He caught Green's attention because he was expertly staying out of camera range and his image was always blurred.

Green paid attention as they discussed the likelihood of Alec Pickman having had an affair with Grace Orde and whether he had been capable of making small bombs. The first several explosions had happened before his death. Robbie called Laura to ask her again what Pickman studied in college and she reminded him that it was Art and Poetry, not Chemistry and Bomb Making.

Like a boy still in school, Green tentatively raised his hand. After hearing about the elusive man in black they went back over the footage and Robbie and James gave Green high marks for his observations. Wanting to know more about the obscure man, Robbie suggested they post Green undercover at the club.

James wasn't sure. "He's a bit innocent looking and well, green, for lack of a better choice of word, for that place."

"We'll send him over to the undercover division for a new identity."


Flavia had been sleeping peacefully while Laura made lunch for a guest and tidied up the kitchen. She put Osborn out in the back garden so he would not bark when their visitor arrived. Laura's phone vibrated. It was her friend Ellen Jacoby calling to be say she was stuck in traffic and would be very late. "Ellen, it's fine. You saved me a call." She glanced at the unusually quiet child. "The baby has been out of sorts today. Perhaps another time would be better." Ellen was disappointed she would have to wait to meet Laura's grandniece but said she understood. Laura gazed protectively at the sleeping infant. It wasn't like her to lie to a friend even though she herself had been lied to by friends in the past. She had her reasons but still felt guilty.


Lizzie and Brad arrived at their destination, an isolated and abandoned warehouse. The front entrance was boarded up and they went around to the back where Lizzie easily broke into a locked door. Inside the building it was dark and the torch light Lizzie carried showed cobwebs and dust, then finally a wall switch that when pressed gave the hallway an eerie glow. Brad seemed to know where he was going and continued on until he came to a metal door on the left. He stopped and turned to Lizzie.

"You should stay out here and wait for me Detective Sergeant Maddox. It could be dangerous."

Lizzie pressed her back into the door and put her arms across her chest. "No, Mr. Hobson. The whole point of me following you about is to keep you out of danger."

"I'm already in danger. A lot of people are. My job is to get them out, then maybe me." He took a step towards her and could see she wasn't budging. Brad pulled a key out of his pocket and handed it to Lizzie."All right, if you insist. Perhaps you can help. This is lonely work."

Lizzie unlocked the door and opened it. The dust free room had no windows and reminded her of a safe room featured in a popular film a few years ago. Brad saw her sizing things up. "Yes, the walls are reinforced with hurricane proof steel."

"You mean bomb proof."

"Well, small bomb proof, anyway." He pushed a button on a device that illuminated the room in fluorescent light. There wasn't much in the room, a few chairs scattered about and a table. On the table were two laptop computers.

There were questions Lizzie wanted to ask. What were the laptops for and who put them there? She watched as Brad walked around the table studying the computers sometimes putting his face down close to them but not touching anything. Finally he took a small bottle out of his jacket pocket and sprayed each of the keyboards.

Brad knew Lizzie was watching him and was full of questions. "You don't mind if I talk while I work do you? I find it relaxes me and helps get my mind in order. Usually I work alone or with a colleague, not a body guard."

"Talk away, Mr. Hobson." She would listen carefully to every word he said. DS Lizzie Maddox was about to observe one of the world's leading experts in decoding criminology.


For supper Robbie and Laura sat outside on the patio eating the lunch she had previously prepared for Ellen. Flavia was swinging joyfully back and forth in yet another infant contraption. Osborn lay in the grass nearby keeping watch while Monty climbed in and out of the canoe.

Laura told Robbie about Brad borrowing the neighbor's dog.

"He does the oddest things." She took a bite of her salad and studied Robbie's face.

Robbie tore off another piece of garlic bread and stuffed it in his mouth. "Mmmm, yeah odd even for a computer programmer at the Department for Transport. What is it he does there?"

"Officially he writes the code that creates the scheme for the number plates." Laura finished her salad. "We both know that's not all he does."

Robbie raised his eyebrows and picked up their plates and carried them into the house while Laura adjusted Flavia's swing. When he came back outside with a bottle, he refilled their wine glasses. Robbie handed Laura her glass and took her free hand to lead her over to the garden bench. Laura rested her head on Robbie's chest and he put his arm around her shoulders. They sat for a few minutes enjoying the calm of the evening as Flavia fell asleep in the swing. Laura used her bare foot to push the button to slow the motion.

"You know what I thought about today?"

"Tell me."

"What if we had met and got together when we were younger and had a child of our own. Sometimes I wish...Oh God, sorry Robbie." She sat up and faced him. "I didn't mean to put myself in Val's place."

"I know you didn't. You always understood about Val and were the only one I could talk to about her. It's my fault for living in the past too long, maybe we could have."

"We finally made it. No regrets." Laura nestled back down into Robbie's chest.

"No regrets." He put his arm back around her.

"Robbie, we might be raising this child. You didn't sign on for that with me."

He smiled at one blond head, then the other. "I'll go anywhere you go. I went to New Zealand didn't I?"

"Only after James made you come around."

"I'm not making that mistake again. Any journey you take, we ride together."

Laura sighed. "I want Caroline to recover and be with Flavia. If that doesn't happen I want her to be with us."

"Yeah, me too. I'll keep reading to Caroline as long as it takes."

Laura lifted her head off Robbie's chest. "I have a confession to make."

"James is the one who studied to be a priest, not me."

"I lied to Ellen today when I canceled our lunch."

"You didn't want her to see Flavia." He pulled her into him. "I know why."

"I'm glad you figured it out. I wanted to tell you. You know how I feel about secrets. It's just that I promised Caroline not to tell."

"I know. Even Morse understood the importance of a promise."

The baby emitted some happy gurgles, opened her eyes briefly then returned to her slumber.

"She really likes this swing Carole got her." Laura slid her foot out again, this time to tap a button and reset the music. "Brian and Caroline liked their swings when they were babies. Then I could play with them and hand them back to their parents if they cried or I was ready to do something else."

"Too bad Carole can't spend more time with her grandchild. I remember how I felt about missing out on Jack's early years."

"You had work."

"I'd rather feel part of my own family."

"What about my family?"

"The more Hobsons the merrier, I say."

"You never said that before."

Robbie reached down and picked up leg and began to rub her foot. "I meant to ask, how did Flavia like the baby Yoga and massage?" He pushed his thumb into the arch of her sole.

Laura let a small moan escape. "She loved it, made the cutest little cooing sounds, kicked her legs, and fell asleep."

Robbie put the right foot down and went to start on the left. "Sounds like me after one of your massages, well except for when we..."

Osborn started to bark and they quickly shushed him.

"Yoo-hoo!" Someone was peering over the back fence.

Laura groaned inwardly. An intimate moment with Robbie was rare these days with an infant in the house.

"There you are, I decided to come anyway, once the traffic cleared."

Laura leaned down and pulled Flavia's blanket up to cover more of her. Robbie stood up and went to open the gate to admit Ellen Jacoby.