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see,’ Masters said, ‘they’re to protect his feet from broken glass. Off he goes.’
    Dog and handler started, appropriately enough, she supposed, where the corpse had been found. But Star gave no reaction. As he ranged over the rubble, however, he started to get a lot more interested. Then excited. Finally very excited, in a doggy sort of way. And certainly his handler looked pleased.
    â€˜Petrol?’ Kate asked.
    Masters nodded. ‘Looks like it. Now, didn’t those other fires start with someone pouring petrol through skylights? Well, believe it or not, Kate, that is almost exactly where a skylight would have been.’
    Sue Rowley came towards her with SOCO and the taller of the experts. ‘Come on,’ she said, ‘let’s get out of here. All the smells,’ she continued, stumbling over a twisted girder, ‘of a fire like this. Wood; paint; chemicals. And now – a human.’
    Masters nodded. ‘It drives me crazy, people saying how they enjoy their garden bonfire. I tell you, some days I can’t face a barbecue. There. That’s better, isn’t it?’
    Kate returned his smile, sniffing. ‘Lovely fresh rush-hour air! You’re right. Even the smell of all those buses is sweet.’ She found she was shivering.
    So was Sue Rowley. ‘What puzzles me is how some people manage to turn their stomachs off – I mean, those forensic teams in Yugoslavia, as was, and pathologists, going in real close—’ Shaking her head, she closed her eyes. ‘A day like this, I can’t wait to have a shower and get into some clean clothes.’
    Kate nodded. That was exactly what she had in mind.
    â€˜Now, Kate,’ Sue continued, ‘fancy coming back to the Fire Station? I think we both deserve a cup of tea and a bit of breakfast and it’ll do no harm to chew things over with the others.’
    â€˜I’d love to, Gaffer. But I’ve got to be in court in an hour’s time, remember.’
    â€˜That’s a shame,’ Masters said. ‘It’d be nice to have an attractive young lady gracing our canteen.’
    Putting her hand on Masters’ arm, Rowley winked at Kate. ‘You pop off, Kate, and I’ll give our friend here a bit of equal opps. training over the bacon butties.’
    Â 
    Kate and Graham almost collided on the steps to the police station’s main entrance as she ran the last few yards from the car park.
    Before he spoke, he looked at his watch. There was no indication in his face that only twelve hours ago they’d sat side by side examining buttons. Perhaps she was grateful. All she had on her mind at the moment was showering away the fire smells and getting on with routine. Anything to keep at bay the memory of those teeth grinning at her from between the blackened lips.
    â€˜The second morning you’ve been late,’ he said. ‘And you’re due in court in forty minutes, for goodness’ sake.’
    If she didn’t want tenderness, she didn’t want this crap, either. Hadn’t he eyes to see, a nose to smell, where she’d been? ‘Major fire, sir. This time there was a victim. I’ve only come away because of the court case.’
    He flinched, half lifted a hand. ‘You’re all right?’
    She nodded, but wouldn’t respond to the concern in his voice. ‘I can shower off and change in ten minutes flat. I won’t be late.’
    He nodded. ‘I’ll see you there, then.’
    Â 
    He was waiting outside the Law Courts clutching a take-away coffee and something in a paper bag.
    â€˜In case you’d lost your breakfast,’ he said, smiling.
    â€˜I did. Twice. Thanks.’ The coffee was cool and weak, almost unpalatably sweet; the little bag contained a Danish and a smoked salmon bagel. ‘It’s just—’
    â€˜No time to talk. Just get it down you. We don’t want you fainting in