He had such pride in what he said that I could not disbelieve him. In fact, I felt borderline sleazy for having doubted him in the first place.

‘We’re doing our best to get hold of this Yannick Mugalia, and when we’ve talked to him I’ll be sure to update you. How about that?’

‘Thank you,’ I said.

Detective Hubert had been steering us towards the exit with these last words. Amelia drew up short of the door, swivelled on the heel of her trainer, and asked point blank, ‘How long have you known Langdon Courtney?’

The detective’s head bobbed back on his thin neck, but his smile stayed in place. ‘I was introduced to him yesterday. You were there.’

‘And before then you’d never heard of him?’

‘I’m afraid not. No. Should I have?’

‘That’s not the point,’ said Amelia bluntly. I fought back a shudder at her rudeness. Perhaps she noticed, since she backtracked lamely with, ‘For what it’s worth, I believe you.’

Detective Hubert’s smile thinned to a sarcastic line. ‘Well, that’s a relief,’ he said.

I was worried that he’d taken offence and wished I could rewind Amelia’s little interrogative outburst. But I had to make do with, ‘Thanks for all you’re doing. I’ll be sure to keep a closer eye on my phone from now,’ as I reached for the door. When my fingers closed on the handle – a silver bar running the length of the door – I recoiled. It felt sticky. Glancing at my hand I saw that it was stained red. The cut-up guy whom the two officers had shovelled through the door earlier must have rubbed up against handle, bloodying it. For some reason I didn’t want Detective Hubert to feel bad about that. Not that he should have done: it wasn’t his fault. Either way, I pretended it hadn’t happened, held the door open for Amelia with my foot and said goodbye to the detective over my shoulder as I followed her out onto the street.

33.

‘I can’t believe you accused him of that!’ I said to Amelia when we’d rounded the first corner.

‘I didn’t accuse him of anything,’ she said, taken aback.

‘As good as. All that “How long have you actually known Langdon?” stuff. You might as well have called him a liar to his face!’

‘I don’t recall using the word actually.’

‘You don’t get it, do you?’ I said. ‘You don’t have to say a thing explicitly to give the impression that’s what you mean.’