“I know, I know,” Ben said. He put a hand on her arm and held it there. “We’ll find him, Sinead. Whatever’s happened, wherever he is, we’ll find him. He’s going to be OK.”

Sinead’s voice was a whisper of a thing. “What if he’s not, though, sir? What if something’s happened?”

“It won’t. This is Tyler we’re talking about. He’s like a bloody rubber ball. Gets bounced around all over the place, but always comes back fine.”

“But he’s not fine. He’s not remotely fine,” Sinead replied, the words made flat and small to fit past the sob that was blocking her throat. “He’s sick. He should be at home, getting ready for the hospital, not chasing a suspected killer! We’re not even meant to be here!”

“I know. I know. And he’ll be fine. We’ll find him,” Ben soothed. “Wherever he is, we’ll find him.”

“Sinead!” Hamza’s shout came from up by the car.

Sinead and Ben both looked, then followed his finger to where a figure was stumbling out of the trees on the other side of the road, the lack of a shoe on one foot playing havoc with his gait and balance.

His hands were bound at his back, and as they watched, a second man came striding out of the woods behind the first, a holdall slung over his shoulder, a grin on his face like the cat who’d got the cream.

Tyler stopped when he saw the fleet of polis vehicles assembled at the side of the road.

“Don’t know what all the fuss is about,” he announced. “I had the whole thing completely under control.” He gave Pete Hill a shove, urging him towards Hamza, who had moved to intercept. “Mind if I hand Mr Hill here into your custody, Detective Sergeant?”

Hamza looked the driver up and down. He had clearly fallen at some point. Mud had been involved. A bruise was colouring in an eye socket, and there were thin scratches on his face and neck from where the fingers of branches had clawed at him.

“If you must,” Hamza said. He took the taxi driver by one of his zip-tied arms. “I would say it’s nice to see you again, Mr Hill, but I’d be lying.”

Sinead and Ben had come clambering up the slope to meet them now. Only some cast iron professionalism stopped Sinead either throwing her arms around Tyler and sobbing with relief, or slapping him for being so reckless. She compromised by placing the toe of her shoe on his foot and pressing down firmly but gently.

“Fuck you!” Hill spat. “Fuck all of you! I’ll have all your jobs for this. I didn’t do anything!”