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Derek went pale. His eyes flicked to Jack.

“Not ex. A reinstated police officer.”

Davina beamed at him.

“You got your job back!”

Jack smiled coldly, his eyes on Derek.

“You can consider this assault on an officer.”

Davina heard Derek swallow hard. She watched poor stupid Derek as he worked through his options. She saw the moment when he came to the conclusion that he may as well do what he liked with them, since they were going to throw the book at him anyway. She took a deep breath. Her time for stalling was over. She had to act, before he did.

“How about a nice cup of tea while you tell us what you want to do?” she said to Derek.

Derek thought about that.

“It won’t take a tick,” Davina said.

She slipped behind Derek to reach for the teapot. He grabbed her wrist and waved the stun gun at her. She heard a low guttural growl coming from Jack.

“Don’t do anything stupid,” Derek said.

“Oh, darling,” Davina said in her most flirtatious voice. “It’s a bit late for that. You’ve already met Jack, haven’t you?”

She shrugged out of his grip as she reached for the teapot. Her breathing was ragged.

“Be a dear,” she told Derek, “and get the cups. They’re in the cupboard beneath you.”

Derek looked at the cupboard under the counter while Davina put tea bags in the pot.

“Cups, Derek.” She pointed at the cabinet.

Derek hesitated, then leaned over to open the cupboard door. As he reached for the cups, Davina picked up the cast iron skillet from the top of the cooker behind her and calmly swung it at Derek’s head. There was a sharp crack. The skillet was heavy in her hand so she dropped it. It clanged to the floor. For a second Derek stayed bent over reaching into the cupboard, then he made a little squeaking noise as his bladder emptied down his leg. A second later he crumpled to the floor.

Davina stared at him. She stared at the discarded skillet and the pool of urine on her clean kitchen floor. The floor Marianne had scrubbed. Her friend wouldn’t be pleased.

“Breathe,” Jack ordered.

Davina had forgotten he was there. She looked up at him and he smiled softly at her.

“I think he might be dead,” she said.

Jack shrugged. Derek groaned.

“Nope,” Davina said. “He’s alive.”

She reached for the skillet ready to whack him again.

“Maybe that isn’t such a good idea,” Jack said.

Davina looked at the heavy pan and the blood stain on the back of Derek’s blond hair. She bit her lip.

“Fine, but I’m tying him up.”

“Untie me first and I’ll help.”

Derek wriggled on the floor.