“Maybe if you’d quit being such a fucking bitch, I wouldn’t have an attitude.”

Tony stood and shot the man a hostile look.

He bristled, his posture stiffening, before he backed away a few steps. “This is bullshit. I’m outta here,” he said, and skulked off.

A moment passed before Sophie glanced up at me, her cheeks red with embarrassment. “Thanks for that. I promise I don’t normally go around having domestics out on the street, but David showed up unannounced and tried to take Jonathan.” She turned back to her son, who hurried to her side and buried his face behind her leg. For some reason, my eyes went to her left wrist, where she was tugging her sleeve down as far as it would go. A small bruise peeked out, and I knew she was trying to hide it.

I stepped closer and lowered my voice, speaking softly as I asked, “Has he ever tried to hurt you?”

She stared at me, unshed tears shining in her eyes, and I knew the answer was yes. She didn’t say anything, and a moment later she sucked in a deep breath. “We should get going.”

I stepped in front of her, blocking her exit. “I can help you, you know. All you have to do is file a report. We can have a barring order put in place so that he can’t approach you or your son.”

She shook her head. “No, I don’t want to do that. Come on, honey, let’s go.” She took hold of Jonathan’s hand and walked away. I let out a breath, my eyes meeting Tony’s. We both knew there wasn’t much we could do if she wasn’t willing to cooperate.

For the rest of the day, my encounter with Sophie was stuck in my head. I wondered if Lee had any idea what was going on between her and this David character. I couldn’t imagine he did, judging by how fiercely he told me he’d do anything for his family. I doubted David would’ve gotten within ten feet of Sophie if Lee had known.

I was so preoccupied by these thoughts that I almost forgot I’d organised a girls night for Alexis. I’d invited Reya over, and Alexis’ friend, Bradley, who was an honorary girl. We were going to watch chick flicks, order pizza, and, well, try to make her feel better about being pregnant. She thought she was alone, but she really wasn’t. I planned to be by her side through all of it, but I was worried about her falling deeper into depression. It wouldn’t be good for her or the baby.

Everyone was already at the flat when I arrived, so I said some quick hellos and went to take a shower. I always liked to wash after a shift; it was almost a compulsion. Somehow the water felt like it cleaned away all the crap I’d seen that day, leaving me fresh and new.

Alexis was scribbling down a list of everyone’s pizza orders when I came out, my hair in a towel and wearing a pair of clean pyjamas.

“Can I have a meat-lover’s pizza, chicken tenders, potato wedges, and some coleslaw?” said Reya. “Oh, and a diet Coke.”

I couldn’t help teasing her. “Yeah, because that’ll undo all the damage.”

“Hey! I actually prefer diet,” she argued, and Bradley chuckled.

“Can’t get enough of that sexy chemical taste, huh?”

I laughed and leaned forward to give him a high-five.

“You two, stop ganging up on little Reya,” Alexis butted in, throwing her a sympathetic look. “Don’t mind them. They’re a pair of bullies.”

I found it funny how Alexis called Reya little, since she was more woman than us two put together. I guessed we considered her little because she was six or seven years younger than all of us. I didn’t know her exact heritage, but I thought I remembered her telling me once that her parents were Spanish, which was where she must’ve gotten her dark looks from. She was actually quite statuesque, with skin the colour of honey and curves that went on forever. I mean, Alexis did plus-size modelling, but she had nothing on Reya.

Once the food was ordered, Bradley hit play on the DVD. We were watching a movie called He’s Just Not That Into You. Needless to say, I hadn’t been a part of the selection process. The title was so fucking condescending it kind of made me want to hurt someone. Thankfully, it didn’t take long for our food to arrive, distracting me from my daydreams of grievous bodily harm.

It was later on, while Bradley and Reya were chatting in the living room, that I managed to corner Alexis in the kitchen. I knew she was going to give me endless amount of stick for this, but I had to put my pride aside for a minute. I just didn’t have it in me to ignore the fact that Lee’s cousin was being hounded by her ex. If he’d been violent with her in the past, then I had to do something to prevent it from happening again.

“Do you have Lee’s number?” I asked quietly as I washed dishes and she dried.

She gave me a shrewd look. “Maybe I do. And why, pray tell, are you looking for it?”

“It’s complicated. But I assure you, I have no romantic designs on him whatsoever, if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“I dunno, you’d make a good cougar.” She smirked. “They’d call you ‘racy red’.”

“Shut your face,” I whisper-hissed, trying not to laugh. “I’m way too young to be a cougar. And he’s way too old to be my boy toy. If I was going to go down that route, the guy would have to be in his, like, late teens or something.” Good grief, I was rambling.

Alexis full-on chuckled. “Ooooh, I didn’t know you were into the barely legal scene, Constable.”

I grew impatient. “Do you have his number or not?”