'What the hell is going on, Denzel?' Superintendent Palmer fumed. 'First, a family of four goes missing. Then a teenager dies of a drug overdose that you suspect is foul play. And now Jerry Phillips was found barely alive in Felton Pond. And you say to me?'

Neo sighed. 'That I don't think that Jerry Phillips fell. I think he may have been pushed.'

Palmer threw her hands up in the air. 'And what proof have you got? For any of it?'

'We're still working on it,' Neo replied, thin lipped.

Ever since Palmer had stormed into his office, after being informed about Jerry Phillips' close brush with death, she was like a madwoman keen on answers. What was frustrating, at least to Neo, was that he had none to give her.

Palmer rubbed a tired hand over face and sat down. 'The family has been missing for four days now, and what evidence have you found? Is there anything that the searches have brought up?'

Neo shook his head. The searches had revealed exactly zero information. The only good thing was they hadn't discovered any bodies in the marshes, meaning, for the moment, the investigation was still being considered a missing persons case and not a homicide. But other than that, there had been no new evidence, no footprints, not even another scrap of clothing. People had been told to be vigilante in the area, but even Neo's nosy neighbours hadn't seen hide nor hair of the Bennett family.

'But you're sure about the teenager? Is there anything there that could help this case? I have my higher ups breathing down my neck for some results, Denzel,' Palmer murmured, dejectedly. She knew how little evidence they'd found, but to hear it spelt out plainly made her feel sick. The clock was ticking down. Who knew what was happening to the family or even if they were still alive.

'Barry seemed pretty certain of it, but there was no evidence there. He checked the needle for fingerprints and the rest of the body, but the chances were Dean Montgomery was too high to even notice he was being killed.'

'Could you be looking at this the wrong way? The kid was on the down and out, who's to say his death is even linked to our missing family. Even you can't ignore the fact that there was no connection between them, Dean Montgomery had never met the Bennett family and Vise Versa.'

'But he was still killed in the same place they disappeared. What if he'd seen something, what if that's why he was killed?' Neo demanded.

'And what if it really is a coincidence and we're chasing our tails, trying to make the puzzle pieces fit?' Palmer asked him gently. 'We need evidence, not theories. If you find something that links the Bennetts to Montgomery's murder, then pursue it. If not, I want you to drop it. Dean Montgomery's death is a tragedy but there is nothing that can help him now, the same may not be said for the Bennett family.'

The door burst open before Neo could argue.

Charlie strode through the door, her face pale, and a laptop bag dangling at her side. She halted when she saw Palmer standing there.

'I thought you would have given up the case now with the unfortunate accident of Mr Phillips, Miss Hoggins.' Palmer frowned, looking between Charlie and Neo.

'I've never been one to let things lie, Rosy. And besides, Jerry asked me to find Jane and her family, whether he's in the hospital or not, that's exactly what I'm going to do,' Charlie responded, a touch of steel in her voice.

Palmer turned his gaze towards Neo. 'DCI, I would like a word in private.'

'I'll just leave you two to talk.' Charlie threw him an apologetic glance and left.

'Do I have to remind you not to share sensitive information with civilians?' Palmer's tone was cutting as she glared in Neo's direction, catching him off guard.

'Charlie Hoggins comes very well recommended by the Chief officer of the MET. If she has information, don't you think we should use it?' Neo demanded.

Very well recommended was understating the glowing reference he'd received from an old colleague. Charlie had become successful enough that several officers were now referring cases to her if they knew they didn't have the resources to pursue the case themselves. It was a sad realisation but the police authority only had so much money and resources and there were a hell of a lot of cases that couldn't be looked into. Missing persons typically fell into this category.

'You don't know her like I do.' Palmer shook her head. 'She's fiendishly clever and she would not hesitate to burn this unit if the need arose. The last thing we need is bad press, not with local stations like this one closing up and down the country.'

'With all due respect, Superintendent , you knew her when she was sixteen. People change,' Neo tried to reason.

'A leopard doesn't change her spots,' Palmer spat. 'I want her out of the investigation. And I'll make sure of it.'

Palmer twisted and paced to the door, throwing it open with a crash, which made everyone's head lift. Her eyes zeroed in where Charlie was sitting on the edge of Gwilt's desk, enjoying a cup of tea.

'Everything okay there Rosy?' Charlie asked, the side of her mouth twitching as she hid her smirk.

'I'm sorry Charlotte but this is a police investigation and I can't allow civilians to be interrupting. I'm afraid should you continue, I will have to charge you with hindering a police investigation.'

Neo gritted his teeth and watched Charlie, waiting for her reaction but she barely flinched. If anything, her smirk became much more pronounced.

'You never did particularly like me Rosy, did you? After all it was you who convinced the police that I may have had something to do with Lucy and George's murder.' Charlie sipped at her tea watching with sick satisfaction as Palmer spluttered in front of her.

'I convinced them of nothing. The evidence was there, and we were just doing our jobs,' Palmer reasoned.

Neo watched as the smirk on Charlie's face dimmed and something dangerous flashed in her eyes. He held his breath when she put her tea down.

'Just doing your job? This office bungled the investigation from start to finish. I was the one who sat accused when it was your head officer who refused to even look for them in the first place. If he had taken us seriously, they could have still been alive.' Charlie kept her voice level, though it was with great difficulty.

Palmer scoffed. 'Speculation will get you nowhere. The case was referred for review because of the fuss you and the family made, and it was deemed that we acted with integrity and within our capacity as officers.'

Charlie shook with rage, clenching her fists so that she didn't do something stupid. The need to wipe the superior look off Palmer's face was growing. She'd never liked people who thought they were better than everyone else. Palmer was one of those. Someone who thought she deserved the best and because of the injustice in fate, she usually got it, regardless of those she used to get there. Marton may not know what Rosalind Palmer was like, but Charlie knew.

'Integrity? Where was your officers' integrity when they took me, a sixteen year old kid from my parents, carted me into the back of a police car and locked me in a cell for 10 hours? Where was your probable cause for treating me like a criminal when you had nothing to charge me with?'

'Now you're just confusing fantasy with reality.' Palmer dismissed her.

Charlie took a step forward and Neo braced himself for what to come. He'd never seen her so angry or Palmer act so cruel. From the glances he'd taken around the room, everyone else was reeling from the change in atmosphere between the two people. When he'd first met Charlie, Palmer had been there, and he'd mistakenly thought they were old friends. But he'd been wrong. The way they were raging on each other, this was personal for both of them.

Despite what Palmer had said about the investigation, Neo couldn't help but wonder if Charlie was right. Why was Palmer so upset with Charlie? What was really going on between them?

'I will never forget being interrogated with no adult present and forced to look at photographs taken of George and Lucy. The image of their purple ringed necks and their puffed up bodies is something that I can never erase all because of you.'

The office was so silent, you could have heard a pin drop. For the first time, Palmer seemed to realize the spectacle she'd created.

'The records show you for the liar you are. Those things never happened, Miss Hoggins, and I think it best you stay away from any grand accusations. This whole situation that you've invented, including your feelings towards myself, is a cause for concern. I suggest you see someone about that.' Palmer crossed her arms over her chest, her face smug.

Everyone looked at the two women, more confused than ever.

Charlie picked up her bag and slung it over her shoulder. She moved to walk past Palmer but paused when she was just a foot away from her, turning her head to regard the older woman, who should have known better.

'I know you saw me that night. I know why you've done what you've done. And let me remind you, Superintendent Palmer, that people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.' Charlie looked down at Palmer's shoulder, watching the metal insignias glint in the office light. 'Enjoy your crowns Rosy, you've certainly worked hard for them,' she growled before walking out of the office, extremely pleased with herself for not throwing a single punch.

The entire office watched her go with wide eyes, they'd heard the words she'd uttered to their commanding officer but none of them could guess at the malice beneath them.

'What are you all watching?' Palmer rounded on the stunned officers. 'Get back to work,' she snapped, spurring them into action.

Neo watched his team flounder under the cold gaze of a woman he'd come to deeply respect. Rosalind Palmer had been an excellent officer and had easily worked her way up the chain of command because of her keen eye and likeable disposition. But that woman seemed a million miles away from the beast in front of him.

'If I catch her around this office or hear a word of her being on the investigation, I'll personally make sure you're never given another case. Is that understood, DCI Denzel?' Palmer regarded him with a pinched expression.

'Crystal,' Neo said through gritted teeth.

Satisfied with his answer, Palmer left, not noticing how the eyes of everyone in the room followed her.

Neo and Gwilt walked back towards Neo's office and closed the door.

'What the hell was that about?' Gwilt exploded, glancing back at the window to make sure Palmer wasn't coming back.

Neo dropped into his chair with a groan, feeling all of his forty-three years come at him all at once.

'I don't know,' he murmured.

'You know my feelings about Charlie, but the way Palmer attacked her like that and the things Charlie said about the original investigation.' Gwilt shook his head. 'Just doesn't seem right.'

'Feels as though there is bad blood there,' Neo agreed.

Gwilt sighed and placed a piece of paper down on Neo's desk. 'Charlie asked me to pass this on to you. It's her phone number. She said she's found some things out about Harry Bennett that you need to know. She'll pop by your house tonight but if you don't want it, call her and she'll carry on her investigation alone.'

Neo took the paper with numb fingers. The little piece of paper could be the end of his career.

'Seems she knew exactly how Palmer would react,' Neo mused.

'Whatever went down between them, it looks like Palmer is scared. She drew first blood by forcing Charlie out of the investigation, but I have a feeling that it won't be the only blow between those two.'

Neo silently agreed. Whatever was between the two women wasn't over.

'Are you going to call her?' Gwilt asked.

Neo sucked on his teeth, pocketing the number. 'No, if she has intel, then we need it. Palmer's personal feelings with Charlie can't hamper my investigation.'

'And if Palmer finds out? This is your career we're talking about.'

The picture of Willow and Dante on Neo's desk seemed to come into sharper focus as Neo considered his options.

'Then I'll make sure she doesn't find out.'