‘Men like Francis Haggard rarely top themselves. Or if they do, they wait until they’ve killed their partner first.’

‘I don’t think that was ever going to happen.’

‘This analyst of his,’ Clarke said, ‘it was a ruse, wasn’t it? Started seeing him after the first recorded assault?’

‘If you go back far enough into his phone records, I think you’ll find he tried several times to book sessions with psychotherapists prior to that incident. Mostly they were booked solid. Eventually he found one. So to answer your question, no, I don’t think it was a ruse.’

‘He seriously wanted to change?’

‘I’m sure of it.’

‘Really?’

‘He grew up in the Catholic faith, did you know that?’

‘He said it got him teased at Tynecastle.’

Leckie nodded. He was slowly revolving his glass on its coaster. ‘He was talking about seeing a priest, not just for confession, but as a way back into his faith.’

‘Psychoanalysis and religion – he was trying every angle, wasn’t he?’

‘That’s not what it felt like. I sensed him opening up after a lifetime of hiding emotion and weakness.’

‘Because those would have been seized on at Tynecastle?’

‘Seized on and ridiculed.’

‘So when he was opening up, did he mention any enemies to you, people he had reason to be afraid of?’

‘I think the person he was really scared of was himself. He hated how he’d stopped being able to control his temper.’ He met her gaze. ‘I genuinely believe that, and I know whereof I speak.’ He broke off long enough to take a sip from his glass. ‘My father abused my mother for years and we all turned a blind eye. Grandparents knew, uncles and aunts, family friends, neighbours … Nothing was ever said.’

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Never any contrition either, just lies and denials and those occasional rages, right up until a stroke turned him into an invalid. My mother nursed him until the day he died, can you credit that? I was in my mid teens by then, and when I was alone with him, I vented. Nothing he could do but lie there and take it. But I attended his funeral, same as everyone else, and we all went back to pretending again.’ He released the breath he’d been holding and blinked away the flashback. ‘When Francis spoke about how the job had coarsened him … well, it seemed to make sense.’ He looked at her. ‘Did I mention my dad was a cop?’

Clarke nodded her understanding. ‘So you think the job played a part in Francis’s death, but is there anything specific we should be looking at?’

‘Client confidentiality, Siobhan.’

‘Strictly off the record, though.’

Leckie thought again. Clarke realised that she was warming to him. He seemed to her one of those people who lived a considered life – weighing up pros and cons; empathetic; looking for the positives.