‘What is going on? I need to know what is going on. Why are you all here? This is outrageous,’ she screeched.

‘They’ve come to take us to the station,’ Henson explained calmly.

Justine carried on screaming. ‘You can’t do this! You have no right!’

‘Justine, listen to me. There is no need for you to panic, I am going to be with you.’

She stopped shaking and began rubbing her wet hair frantically with the wet towel.

‘Listen to me, Justine, do not say one word to them, do you understand me? Not one word. Not until Darren McDermott gets there.’

Spencer and Miller ushered Henson out of the house.

Jane waited in the bedroom while Justine insisted on blow-drying her hair. Meanwhile her mother had returned to the kitchen to quiet the dogs. Eventually, Justine came downstairs, wearing the black raincoat she had previously worn over a turtle-neck sweater and a pair of white slacks. She was also wearing dark glasses. She was calm, but Jane could see she was trembling.

No one spoke on the drive back to the station. As Tyler’s car drew up, the press were already gathering at the front. When they saw the car carrying Justine, they ran at it with their cameras flashing.

‘How in the hell did those bastards get here so fast?’ Tyler snapped angrily.

Two small interview rooms had been prepared with instructions to keep Henson and Justine apart and give them no opportunity to talk to each other. DI Miller was to lead the interrogation of Justine, and Tyler would take charge of the interview with George Henson.

Miller was keen to start, but before they could interview Justine, Tyler received a call from Darren McDermott’s assistant to say that Mr. McDermott would be arriving at the station and that there was to be no questioning of his client Justine Harris until he had arrived. Tyler sighed with frustration. McDermott was one of the toughest QCs around and a very experienced operator. He was stunned that such an eminent lawyer should want to be present instead of his many junior lawyers. McDermott’s assistant also said that his boss demanded to meet with DI Miller.

‘Who the fuck does he think he is?’ Miller swore.

‘He’s a heavy hitter,’ Tyler told him. ‘We’d better have all our ducks in a row when he gets here.’

Justine was given a cup of coffee and taken into the interview room. A uniformed officer remained with her until McDermott arrived.

Jane took the opportunity to go into the canteen and get some breakfast. The news that the infamous QC McDermott was representing Justine Harris was spreading like wildfire. Considering that no charges had yet been brought, his attendance sounded a bit heavy-handed.