‘If it had happened in Scotland, would I have been tried in an adult court?’ he asked. The answer to that was no, but every instinct I had would not let me agree with him so I remained silent. As soon as you start agreeing with someone, they can persuade you round to their way of thinking. Marshall’s demeanour changed again. It was like stripping away layers of old wallpaper. I wanted to get as near as possible to the real Kevin.

‘Whatever I am, and whatever you think I did, one thing we will all agree on is that I am not stupid.’ He raised his left eyebrow and stared straight through me before he continued. ‘I didn’t want to get caught when I was ten and I sure as hell don’t want to get caught now.’ He took my helmet and threw it on the floor.

‘Nurse!’ he screamed. ‘Nurse, get me some fucking painkillers now!’

‘Charming,’ I smiled.

‘I paid you to get me out of here. It must be obvious that I’m being set up. Find out who hates me and work backwards.’ His eyes were screwed shut and he held his torso, giving himself a cuddle.

‘People who hate you? I bet that’s a fucking long list,’ I said as I bent down to pick my helmet up off the floor. ‘Add me to it.’

Chapter Fifty-One

‘You look like shit,’ Lois said, handing me a photocopy of the court diary for the day. I glared at her. She wasn’t Lavender and she never would be, but had she got a manual from her somehow on how to treat me? Shouldn’t temps be lovely in the vain hope that you’ll keep them on? On second thoughts, she probably wanted out as quickly as possible–I wasn’t in the running for any Boss of the Year awards. My eyes were burning from lack of sleep and I still hadn’t forgiven Lois for introducing me to the journalist Patsy Barnes. Ms Barnes was sitting in reception, pen at the ready, gearing herself up to shadow me in court. Lois had assured her this would be fine. That was before I’d found out Marshall’s true identity. In journalistic terms, Ms Barnes had just won the lottery and she didn’t even know it yet.

‘We’ve got a problem,’ I said. Lois raised her eyebrows; even temps knew that, in court work, we were always fire-fighting.

‘I guessed as much. St Leonards have been on the phone. Dr Marshall wasn’t arrested until after midnight, so he’s not appearing in court until tomorrow. Desk Sergeant Anderson said something about Dr Marshall being kept in hospital overnight. What’s that all about?’ I flapped my hand dismissively; Lois dropped the subject.