Copper finally enters to pick up ruffian, one put down in a hot spot? (9)
I believe the answer is:
hearthrug
'one put down in a hot spot?' is the definition.
(item put down on the floor near a hearth)
'copper finally enters to pick up ruffian' is the wordplay.
'finally' suggests the final letters.
'enters' is an insertion indicator.
'to pick up' becomes 'hear' (hearing is a kind of picking up).
'ruffian' becomes 'thug' (I've seen this before).
The last letter of 'copper' is 'r'.
'hear'+'thug'='hearthug'
'r' inserted into 'hearthug' is 'HEARTHRUG'.
(Other definitions for hearthrug that I've seen before include "floor-covering" , "one's position's under fire" , "One floored by blaze" , "Mat near fire" , "Carpet in front of fire" .)