‘Sorry,’ I mumble. It unnerves me how having the police in my own home makes me feel much more vulnerable.

‘So,’ she says, ‘you found the doors open when you got home last night?’

She has one eyebrow raised when I look at her.

‘Yes. About nine. I’d been working all day and came home …’

She raises a hand to stop me, mid flow. I’m pretty sure she’s enjoying this.

‘If you discovered a break-in last night, why are you only calling it in now?’

DC Black stifles a smile. I glare in his direction and he straightens up. I don’t have to remind him that I know exactly how to land him in deep trouble if I was so inclined.

Turning my attention back to DS King, I speak, doing my best to be honest, but not too honest.

‘I … I freaked out, I suppose. I was tired and scared and I certainly wasn’t thinking straight. I just wanted to get away from here. I know Saturday night is a busy night for the police. I couldn’t stand the thought of waiting around. I just needed to go somewhere else. So I went and checked in at the Maldron for the night.’

I don’t mention my stop-off at Ryan’s house on the way.

‘We could’ve helped. Someone would have been with you as soon as was possible,’ DS King says.

‘I’m hoping you can help now,’ I say, turning back towards my bedroom door and opening it.

DC Black moves around me, walks to the far side of my bed and examines the wall closely.

‘This seems to be the only room he, or she, touched,’ I say. ‘Everything else was in its place.’

‘Nothing stolen?’

‘Not that I have noticed.’

‘And that’s paint, isn’t it?’ DS King asks, nodding her head towards the wall.

‘Thankfully, yes. It appears to be nothing more sinister.’

‘There’s blood on your hands,’ DC Black reads aloud. ‘And do you know what that might be referring to?’ he asks me.

He speaks to me as if we are total strangers, as if we don’t have our arrangement on the side. As if I’ve not seen him slightly the worse for wear from alcohol.

I blink. Direct my answer primarily to Eve King.

‘I’m not sure, but it could be to do with a story I’m chasing at the moment. It’s the anniversary of a child’s murder. Kelly Doherty. I’m not sure if you’ll remember that … Not everyone is happy about it. Especially now Jamesy Harte is making noises about an appeal.’

DS King nods. ‘I know the case,’ she says, and of course she does – DS King is the kind of woman who knows everything.

She takes her phone from her pocket and snaps a picture or two of the wall.