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Authors: Stephen Leather
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functions?’
‘I’ve had no problems with it,’ said Shepherd. ‘There are fewer restrictions than there were with the police, and with SOCA. Generally the people working at Five are there because they believe in what they’re doing.’
The psychologist nodded. ‘I suppose that is the main difference between law enforcement agencies and bureaucratic organisations in general – it’s clear where the moral – and legal – high ground lies. Generally you know who is wearing the white hat and who’s wearing black so there is always a sense that you are doing the right thing.’ She sipped her coffee and smacked her lips appreciatively, then smiled at him as she put her mug down. ‘How’s your boy? Liam?’
‘He’s a teenager,’ said Shepherd. ‘Going through what all teenagers go through.’
‘Those were the days,’ said Stockmann. ‘The spots, the anxieties, the mood swings. He’s at boarding school, still?’
Shepherd nodded. ‘It’s working out well. Lots of sport, he gets on well with his classmates. Best thing for him, especially with me being away so often.’
‘It’s been ten years since his mother died, hasn’t it?’
Shepherd nodded but didn’t say anything. He never felt comfortable talking about Sue.
‘We haven’t really discussed it, have we?’
‘It’s not an issue. For Liam, or for me.’
‘It can cause a lot of problems, a child losing a mother at a young age.’
‘Sue’s parents were very good. And we’ve had Katra for many years. She’s sort of become a mother figure for Liam.’
‘The au pair?’
‘She was hired as an au pair but she’s one of the family now.’ The kitchen door opened. Shepherd grinned. ‘Speak of the devil.’
They heard the sound of laden carrier bags being dumped on the kitchen table and then footsteps in the hallway. She appeared at the door, wearing a long leather jacket over tight blue jeans and purple Ugg boots. She had tied her dark brown hair back into a ponytail.
‘Sorry, I didn’t know you were expecting a guest,’ she said. ‘Do you want something to eat? Sandwiches? Coffee?’ There was the faintest of Slovenian accents but she sounded more Australian than East European after years of watching Australian soap operas.
‘We’re fine, thanks,’ said Shepherd.
‘I got lamb chops for tonight.’
‘Excellent.’ He gestured at Stockmann. ‘This is a friend from work, Caroline.’
Katra flashed her a smile. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘And you,’ said Stockmann. ‘Dan tells me what a great help you are.’
Katra’s smile widened, then she gave Shepherd a small wave and went back to the kitchen. Shepherd turned to see Stockmann was smiling at him. ‘What?’ he said.
‘She’s very pretty.’
Shepherd pulled a face. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’
Stockmann raised an eyebrow.
‘Seriously, she’s like a member of the family.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t know what you want me to say.’
Stockmann chuckled softly. ‘Dan, I was simply pointing out how pretty she is.’
‘You think I’m being defensive?’
‘Now don’t you go putting words into my mouth,’ she said. ‘But I wouldn’t mind exploring the fact that you never remarried.’
‘I haven’t met the right person yet.’
‘So you are looking?’
‘Not actively, no. I haven’t joined “find me a new wife dot.com ” if that’s what you’re implying.’ He threw up his hands and immediately regretted it because he knew how good Stockmann was at reading body language. ‘I’m not sure how relevant my personal situation is.’
‘Generally I’m interested because the nature of undercover work is such that it can impinge on the family. As you’re no doubt aware, the job has a much higher divorce rate than average.’
‘So maybe it’s a plus that I don’t have a wife.’
‘That’s one way of looking at it,’ said the psychologist. ‘The other way is that a secure family life can be an asset. It can bring some stability to what is a
‘I’ve had no problems with it,’ said Shepherd. ‘There are fewer restrictions than there were with the police, and with SOCA. Generally the people working at Five are there because they believe in what they’re doing.’
The psychologist nodded. ‘I suppose that is the main difference between law enforcement agencies and bureaucratic organisations in general – it’s clear where the moral – and legal – high ground lies. Generally you know who is wearing the white hat and who’s wearing black so there is always a sense that you are doing the right thing.’ She sipped her coffee and smacked her lips appreciatively, then smiled at him as she put her mug down. ‘How’s your boy? Liam?’
‘He’s a teenager,’ said Shepherd. ‘Going through what all teenagers go through.’
‘Those were the days,’ said Stockmann. ‘The spots, the anxieties, the mood swings. He’s at boarding school, still?’
Shepherd nodded. ‘It’s working out well. Lots of sport, he gets on well with his classmates. Best thing for him, especially with me being away so often.’
‘It’s been ten years since his mother died, hasn’t it?’
Shepherd nodded but didn’t say anything. He never felt comfortable talking about Sue.
‘We haven’t really discussed it, have we?’
‘It’s not an issue. For Liam, or for me.’
‘It can cause a lot of problems, a child losing a mother at a young age.’
‘Sue’s parents were very good. And we’ve had Katra for many years. She’s sort of become a mother figure for Liam.’
‘The au pair?’
‘She was hired as an au pair but she’s one of the family now.’ The kitchen door opened. Shepherd grinned. ‘Speak of the devil.’
They heard the sound of laden carrier bags being dumped on the kitchen table and then footsteps in the hallway. She appeared at the door, wearing a long leather jacket over tight blue jeans and purple Ugg boots. She had tied her dark brown hair back into a ponytail.
‘Sorry, I didn’t know you were expecting a guest,’ she said. ‘Do you want something to eat? Sandwiches? Coffee?’ There was the faintest of Slovenian accents but she sounded more Australian than East European after years of watching Australian soap operas.
‘We’re fine, thanks,’ said Shepherd.
‘I got lamb chops for tonight.’
‘Excellent.’ He gestured at Stockmann. ‘This is a friend from work, Caroline.’
Katra flashed her a smile. ‘Pleased to meet you.’
‘And you,’ said Stockmann. ‘Dan tells me what a great help you are.’
Katra’s smile widened, then she gave Shepherd a small wave and went back to the kitchen. Shepherd turned to see Stockmann was smiling at him. ‘What?’ he said.
‘She’s very pretty.’
Shepherd pulled a face. ‘I hadn’t noticed.’
Stockmann raised an eyebrow.
‘Seriously, she’s like a member of the family.’ He shrugged. ‘I don’t know what you want me to say.’
Stockmann chuckled softly. ‘Dan, I was simply pointing out how pretty she is.’
‘You think I’m being defensive?’
‘Now don’t you go putting words into my mouth,’ she said. ‘But I wouldn’t mind exploring the fact that you never remarried.’
‘I haven’t met the right person yet.’
‘So you are looking?’
‘Not actively, no. I haven’t joined “find me a new wife dot.com ” if that’s what you’re implying.’ He threw up his hands and immediately regretted it because he knew how good Stockmann was at reading body language. ‘I’m not sure how relevant my personal situation is.’
‘Generally I’m interested because the nature of undercover work is such that it can impinge on the family. As you’re no doubt aware, the job has a much higher divorce rate than average.’
‘So maybe it’s a plus that I don’t have a wife.’
‘That’s one way of looking at it,’ said the psychologist. ‘The other way is that a secure family life can be an asset. It can bring some stability to what is a
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