‘Good. I’m starving,’ Michelle said. ‘So, you work with my husband?’ she asked Copeland.
‘Yes, I joined this week. It’s nice to meet you, Michelle,’ said Copeland. She extended her hand but withdrew it when she saw that it was not being received.
‘Salim never mentioned that there was a new member of the SCU.’
‘Oh well, things move quite quickly. An opportunity came up, and I took it,’ Copeland said.
‘She popped over to give me my phone,’ Ramouter said loudly, and Ethan looked at him strangely. ‘I dropped it in the pub.’
‘So that explains why you didn’t pick up when I called,’ said Michelle.
‘We got in a big taxi,’ Ethan said.
‘I couldn’t handle jumping on the tube after that train journey. It’s been a long day,’ Michelle said pointedly to Copeland.
‘Yes, I should be going. Got to get on the tube myself. No way to avoid the hell of the Northern line on a Friday night,’ said Copeland. ‘I’ll see you Monday, Ramouter.’
‘I’ll show you out,’ Michelle said with a smile, ushering Copeland towards the door.
‘Bloody hell,’ Ramouter muttered as the door slammed shut.
‘I didn’t have “strange woman who you’ve never mentioned standing in my kitchen” on my bingo card,’ Michelle said as she entered the kitchen, opened the fridge door and pulled out a bottle of Chablis.
‘I have mentioned her,’ Ramouter protested weakly. He pulled Michelle towards him and kissed her.
‘You definitely did not,’ Michelle said.
‘I missed you.’
‘Did you really? How could you when you’ve got, what’s her name, Xena warrior princess?’
Michelle picked up the roll of kitchen foil and initiated sword fighting.
‘Miche,’ Ramouter said, defending himself with a teatowel. ‘She was just dropping off my phone.’
‘She probably hid your phone in the first place. Needed a reason to come over and check out your space, to see how gone away with the fairies your wife really is?’
‘Why would you say that? Copeland is just a colleague from work and she’s—’
‘Trying to seduce you.’
‘Seriously. Is that how you’re carrying on?’ Ramouter said as Michelle started laughing. ‘The scary thing is that I don’t know if you’re just joking or if you’re deadly serious under that smile.’
‘Oh, I’m serious. There’s something there. I’ve got good instincts, Salim.’
‘Yeah, you do,’ he said quietly.
‘I’m going to take a shower and then we can sit down and talk about my plans over dinner,’ Michelle said, pouring herself a large glass of wine.
‘What plans?’
‘Work. I’ve been talking to my consultant, and he agrees that it wouldn’t be a bad idea for me to go back to work.’
‘What are you talking about?’ Ramouter asked, clearly shocked.
‘I’ll explain once I’ve had a shower.’
‘How can you go back to work?’
