Page 132 of Slack Tide Kill

"Counter Terrorism Policing? They think this is terror-related?"

"After the bomb? Yes. And who knows what the killer's got planned next? CTSFOs are out hardening likely targets; the police station, the church, the castle and the train station. Like there might be more bombs."

Sally took a moment. "Shit."

"That's just the start. We're a Major Incident now, so we've got an influx of manpower. More local officers, a dozen detectives fresh from London, a new command structure under a Detective Super. It's chaos. Briefings, meetings, interviews. Looks like they're bringing everyone back in, starting over with door knocks and interviews, combing through the old case."

Sally had expected something like this. "How's Mayhew taking it?"

"Not great. She's still SIO, but she's a ghost. Just floating. And it's not just her. Emily's death has gotten everyone shaken up. It's like we're in some kind of holding pattern, with no clear direction anymore. No real leads."

"No leads?"

"Just Bledd, and we've got nothing on him. No sightings, no sign, no property to search since he blew it up. The trail is completely cold."

Sally considered that.

"Then there's your article," Liam said. "Everyone here's read it."

"Yeah. About that. I–"

"I did it, Sally."

Her jaw clicked closed. The words she'd been about to say flushed from her mind. "You did what?"

Liam took a long breath. "The article. Last night, I hit a low. How I'd screwed both of us, really. Then it just hit me. A way to bring you back." He was calm, Sally realized. Strangely confident. "So I called Tania Brown. Pitched her, I guess, on the trafficking angle. Now the article's out, and you're calling me, so I'm guessing it worked."

None of that made any sense to Sally.

"But… But yesterday you hated me. That article's the only reason I'm coming back. Why would you–"

"Because I'm sorry." He paused. "You saved my life on that boat, and I acted like that wasn't anything. I was angry."

"Angry," she repeated. "Because I hit the Rooks with the car?"

"Partly that. You did aim at that boat with me and a civilian in the car. I told you to stop, and you didn't listen."

"Right." She let that settle on her. "I'm sorry about that, too."

"So you've said. But you'd still do it again, wouldn't you?"

"I don't, ah..."

"You don't have to lie. I know you would. You can't stop yourself."

She didn't know what to say to that. It felt bad. Like she was the animal Dr. Knight had branded her. Seconds ticked by until Liam broke the silence.

"What's worse, I can hardly complain now. It's what saved me on the boat. You shoulder-charging Mayhew. Disregarding every rule. It paid off."

Sally couldn't tell if he was angry now, or amused, or some mixture of both. "Sometimes it does. Sometimes not."

"I get it. Throw the dice. It's why I called Tania Brown. Taking something from your playbook."

Sally wasn't sure that was a good thing. "Thank you. Really. But you don't want to be like me, Liam."

"Don't I? Do you remember Dark Peak, Sally?"

She flinched. "Of course I do. I almost died. You saved me."