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the CCTV footage from when Teah Rice jumped, you can see a female figure trying to coax her back. She leaves the scene when Teah goes over the edge: Good Samaritan or friend? We need her found.’
    He brought up another slide, this one with two sets of names. ‘Because of the multiple angles we’ve got to go at, I’m assigning two task forces for this investigation. First will be headed up by DCI Roebuck. It will be his normal team plus Detective Sergeant Everington, who I’ve pulled away from DCI Palmer. I’m giving you the profiles of Rihanna and Shandy – so you’ll be working their identities and trying to establish their current location. Your search will start with Stockport Social Services then go to Manchester’s, then the entire north-west and, if needs be, national. I also need you to cover the issue of where this laptop originally came from. Basically, you’ve got the events leading up to Eamon Heslin’s death.’
    Iona stole a glance at a fellow member of Roebuck’s team. He widened his eyes a fraction in response: the task was going to be huge.
    ‘Second team, under DCI Sullivan, will be covering aspects following on from the death of Eamon Heslin – principally, the recovery of evidence from the murder scene and all necessary actions arising from what’s found. You’ve also got the Teah Rice thing. A few of you may have noted the absence of DS Chadwick and DC Grant this afternoon. They are en route to Croydon to interview Teah Rice’s relatives and social worker. OK, that’s it. Report to your respective DCIs who will let you know exactly what you’ll be doing.’
    People started getting to their feet, conversations breaking out across the room.
    ‘Everyone!’ O’Dowd’s voice rang out above the din. ‘MI5 and MI6 are sniffing about – sorry, offering us every assistance. If we need it, we’ll take it. But let’s try not to. You lot all jumped through hoops to get into this unit. This is our chance to show everyone – including that lot down in London – how bloody good we are.’
    Iona started making for the door when O’Dowd spoke again. ‘DC Khan? One moment, please.’
    He started closing down his laptop as the room drained of people. Once they were alone, he nodded at the empty chair next to him.
    She sat down and said nothing. Did I do something wrong? Am I in trouble? Is this because of the comment about the girls’ lack of make-up?
    ‘How are you finding things, Iona?’
    She tried to conceal her surprise. It was the first time she’d ever spoken one-on-one with the super and now here he was using her Christian name. ‘Fine, sir. Good. No, not good. I love it.’
    He smiled briefly. ‘And being in Roebuck’s team?’
    Iona thought about her new boss, Peter Roebuck. She knew there were a few in the CTU who found his urbane manner irritating, she suspected because it hinted at a privileged life. In the preliminary meeting she’d had with him, he had been quick to mention that he’d been given a bursary to study at King’s School in Macclesfield. She knew the fact she’d won a sports scholarship to Manchester High School for Girls was on her file: it had been a slightly clumsy attempt on his part to find common ground. She looked O’Dowd in the eye. ‘No problem whatsoever.’
    ‘Good. Him and I go back a long way. He’s as straight-up as they come.’
    Iona understood the implications of the comment. Unlike the last person you worked under, was what he’d really said. DCI Paul Wallace had been a racist snake who had left Iona to confront a terror cell without any back-up.
    ‘Obviously, the way things ended with Wallace …’ O’Dowd looked uncomfortable for the first time. ‘He was a popular man in the unit. Charismatic. Even with all the facts laid out about what he did—’
    ‘Sir, I understand. There’ll always be people in the CTU who’ll wish he was still here and I wasn’t. They’ll never admit it, but we both know that’s what they’d prefer. I