DEATH OF A DANCER : Extract

'Here,' Lloyd said, giving his own keys to Judy. 'You take my car back.'
Waters clapped his hands slowly together as she approached the car. 'I told you so,' he said.

Judy got in, slammed the door, and started the engine, but Waters tapped on the window. After a moment's hesitation, she wound it down, and he bent down towards her.

'You don't have to rush off, do you?' he said. 'You've got him now - you can take some time off.'

'I have work to do, Mr Waters.'

Waters leaned his arms along the window. 'I just thought that now that I'm no longer a suspect you might come out for a drink with me.'

'Thank you, Mr Waters, but I'm still on duty.'

Waters glanced over to where the other police officers were assembling at the van, ready to go home. 'It doesn't have to be right now,' he said. 'When do you get off?'

'I don't think it would be a good idea, Mr Waters.'

'Oh, come on,' he said. 'No hard feelings.' He winked. 'On second thoughts, I can promise you some.'

'I'm driving off, Mr Waters. If you are still leaning on the car, you might get hurt.'

'But that wouldn't be a nice thing to do,' he said. 'And I can get you and your boss into trouble as it is, without your adding injury to insult.' He smiled. 'So why don't you just come out for a drink with me, give me my pen back, and I'll forget the whole thing.'

One hand dangled into the car, his fingers brushing her knee. Judy switched off the ignition and removed the keys before he thought of it.

'That's better,' he said, giving her knee a squeeze. 'I'm sure you can be nice when you want to.'

Judy smiled, and looked round at the police van. 'Well,' she said quietly, 'I'll tell you what…' She beckoned him closer to her.

And no one but the predictably and profoundly shocked Waters heard what she said.