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Shepherd dropped down onto a faded tartan sofa. ‘Why didn’t we know that Maloney was a rapist?’ he asked.
    ‘I honestly don’t know,’ said Button, taking off her raincoat and hanging it on the back of the door.
    ‘The victims were interviewed, presumably. Didn’t anyone pick up the signs?’
    ‘Spider, if someone doesn’t want to tell the police they were raped, there’s not much the police can do about it.’ She picked up the kettle. ‘Do you want coffee?’
    Shepherd nodded. ‘Please, yeah.’
    ‘I don’t get it. What happened?’ asked Sharpe.
    ‘You don’t get it because, as usual, you weren’t anywhere near the sharp end,’ said Shepherd. ‘No pun intended.’
    ‘Hey, it’s not my fault,’ said Sharpe. ‘It was hard enough getting you in the gang. Two of us would have been overkill.’
    ‘Let’s not argue the point, boys,’ said Button, as she switched on the kettle.
    ‘I’m sorry, I’m just a bit stressed,’ said Shepherd. ‘Maloney was planning on shooting me, I’m sure he was. I could feel him staring at the back of my head and almost feel his finger tightening on the trigger.’ He grinned ruefully. ‘I spun him that old tale about death spasms being enough to pull the trigger. Has anyone ever done any research on that?’
    Button smiled. ‘I don’t think they have.’ She poured milk into three mugs.
    ‘Well, I’m pretty sure that Maloney didn’t believe it.’
    ‘Any booze around?’ asked Sharpe, sitting behind the one desk in the office.
    Button ignored him and carried on talking to Shepherd. ‘He didn’t pull the trigger, so all’s well that ends well.’
    ‘Let’s not forget that the boys in blue went for a head shot because I didn’t drop my gun fast enough,’ said Shepherd. He put a hand up to the plaster on his forehead. ‘An inch to the left and I’d be dead, Charlie.’
    ‘I know, but you’re not, so let’s be grateful for that.’
    ‘Didn’t they know there was an undercover agent in the gang?’
    ‘They didn’t, no. But it wouldn’t have made any difference because you were all wearing ski-masks.’
    ‘Well, I hope whoever fired the shot gets his balls ripped off,’ said Shepherd. ‘Even if I had been one of the bad guys, what he did was bang out of order. I was dropping my weapon – my finger was nowhere near the trigger.’
    ‘Looking on the bright side, no one’s ever going to think you’re working for SOCA,’ said Sharpe. ‘Your legend’s well intact.’
    ‘I’m not sure that’s true,’ said Shepherd. ‘After what happened in the bedroom, they must have realised I’m not kosher.’
    ‘They might just assume that you’re a villain with a soft heart,’ said Button. ‘Anyway, we’ll put it out that you escaped from custody while you were in hospital and the rest of the gang will go down for at least ten years.’ The kettle finished boiling and she stood up. ‘I’ll make us all a coffee and then I’ll run you along to the hotel. I’ve got rooms booked for us all.’
    ‘I’d rather get back to Hereford,’ said Shepherd. ‘It’s been a while since I saw Liam.’
    ‘No problem,’ said Button, spooning coffee into a cafetière. ‘I’ll arrange a car. What about you, Razor?’
    ‘Minibar included?’
    ‘Within reason,’ said Button.
    Sharpe rubbed his hands together. ‘I’ll phone the wife and tell her to expect me tomorrow.’
    ‘And I’m going to need to see you both in London on Monday.’
    ‘A new job?’ asked Shepherd.
    ‘All lined up and ready to go,’ she said.
    ‘Care to give us clue?’
    She smiled brightly. ‘Now, Spider, that would spoil the surprise.’
    The occupants of the six cells looked up as Shepherd walked into the block. Six pairs of brown eyes gazed at him hopefully. He was the key to their salvation: one word from him and they would be released. The floors were bare concrete, the rear walls whitewashed brick, and there was a single metal-barred gate fronting each