‘Is that a threat?’ Fox just smiled and started unzipping his jacket. ‘Hardly worth your while,’ she added.

‘So no coffee, then?’

‘How the hell do you know about Haggard?’

‘He’s a police officer. It’s my job to know.’

‘In your past life maybe, but you’re not Complaints any longer.’

‘But I was – and my boss says that’s what’s important.’ He gestured towards the sofa and took her stony silence as permission to make himself at least partially comfortable. ‘We’re a bit worried about this case, Siobhan. Worried about possible repercussions.’

‘The bad publicity, you mean?’

‘A rogue cop is never a good look.’

‘Not the first time an officer’s been done for domestic abuse, so I’m guessing it’s not just that, meaning it’s got to be the PTSD angle.’

‘I worked Complaints for a number of years, Siobhan. Tynecastle was seldom off our radar, but we never could get anything to stick.’

‘I’m still not sure how you know he was going to cry PTSD.’

‘He told us.’

‘What?’

‘An email to the chief constable. He says talking about it will require him to detail a lot of incidents involving a culture of corruption within Police Scotland – I’m quoting verbatim.’

‘Does he give examples?’

‘No.’

‘But you don’t think he’s bluffing?’

‘My boss has no way of knowing.’

‘Your boss being the chief constable?’

‘In his wisdom, he passed it down the chain to the assistant chief constable.’

‘Jennifer Lyon, right? And she gave it to you?’ Clarke watched Fox nod. ‘To what end, though?’

‘We need to know more about this defence of his – what he’s going to say, how much of it he can prove. Online news agencies and bloggers are already sniffing. They know Haggard means Tynecastle and Tynecastle is rattling with skeletons.’

‘Well, I’ll be sure to keep you posted.’ Clarke brushed invisible flecks from her trouser legs.

‘Will you, though?’ Fox said into the silence.

‘Let me think.’ She cocked her head. ‘You come skulking around here at night – that smacks to me of wanting things kept low-key.’

‘I did try the station first,’ Fox countered, but Clarke shrugged off the comment.

‘None of this seems to be coming through proper channels. Did the ACC choose you for your background in Complaints or because she knows the two of us have history? Might make me a softer touch, happy to leak anything I hear in the interview room?’ Her face stiffened. ‘Why did Haggard send that email? He wants the case dismissed, doesn’t he? To do that, he’ll threaten whatever it takes, and lo and behold, he’s already got you and your boss doing his work for him.’ Clarke’s voice was rising as she got to her feet. ‘That’s not going to be how it works, Malcolm. I can’t believe you’d even try this on.’