Fox ignored him, focusing on Clarke instead. ‘He just gave you a lift here, didn’t he? Probably means you were at his flat. I find that all a bit too cosy. Correct me if I’m wrong.’

‘This is my case, not yours,’ Clarke stressed. She could sense Christine Esson stiffening slightly. ‘Our case, I mean.’

‘Christine’s case actually,’ Fox said. ‘You’d be nowhere near it if COVID hadn’t intervened. And I very much doubt Christine would have gone haring off to share news of what was said in a police interview. Christ, Haggard’s defence will have a field day.’

‘We didn’t talk about the case,’ Rebus interrupted.

Fox stared at him. ‘Do you think my head zips up the back?’

‘Makes it easier for your bosses to shovel their shit in.’

‘I think we’re in danger of losing sight of something here,’ Esson said, raising her voice. ‘Cheryl Haggard is a victim of domestic abuse. An hour or two ago her partner stormed into what should be a place of refuge. We need to protect her, and that means tracing him. Standing around here shouting the odds doesn’t seem to me to be helping much.’

‘Christine’s right,’ Clarke said. ‘Everything else can wait.’

‘Of course,’ Fox said with a slight dip of the head. Clarke gestured to Esson, and the two women began hurrying away. Esson seemed to be complaining about the non-delivery of a promised cake.

‘Plenty places open nearby,’ Fox told Rebus, rubbing his hands together. ‘A quiet drink and a chat, what do you say?’

‘I say whatever it is you think you’re going to accomplish here, you’re wildly mistaken.’

Fox studied him. ‘If this goes to court and Haggard tells his tale, that could end up bad news for people like your good friend Alan Fleck – him and anyone else in his orbit. Maybe you should think about that, John. Could even be some jail time waiting at the end of the process.’

‘You’d come visit, though, wouldn’t you?’

‘I think I might, yes.’ A smile spread across Fox’s face. ‘You never know, maybe I’d even enjoy it.’

Rebus took a step towards him.

‘Careful, John. Wouldn’t want your health taking a sudden turn for the worse. It’s already on a shoogly enough peg, from what I hear.’ Fox began to back away, turning his collar up. Rebus watched him go, the blood pounding in his ears.

6