Fiona sat down tentatively, also crossing her legs, and it occurred to me how compact she was compared to Craig or Jai, with their sprawling limbs. We should occupy more space, me and Fiona. ‘I think there’s more to it,’ she said. ‘Bex’s aunt says all that weird stuff to Violet’s adoptive parents and then Bex doesn’t see her dad and her sister for eighteen years.’

‘I’m not saying you’re wrong. I just don’t think it’s surprising she didn’t report the rape. You’re young. You don’t remember what the courts were like twenty years ago. She’d have been ripped apart.’

The door pushed open. Craig. ‘Mick Tyler’s here.’

‘Thanks, Craig,’ I said.

‘I’ll get on.’ Fiona practically leaped out of her chair and whipped out of the door.

‘Apparently it’s all kicking off in Gritton,’ Craig said. ‘A bunch of balaclava-clad Justice for Violet psychos are kicking the shit out a bunch of meat-suit-clad Animal Vigilante psychos. Or it might be the other way around. Uniform are there trying to get it under control.’

‘Wonderful.’

‘And the great British public are helping search for Violet, but some of the searchers got too close to the wildfire and had to be rescued, and another one got heatstroke and needed the air ambulance.’

‘That sounds like a huge help. Bravo British public.’

Craig shrugged. ‘And us cops get accused of being thick.’

I swallowed. Contemplating the idiocy of the general public had obviously put Craig in an amiable mood. I seized my chance. ‘Look, before we go in, I just wanted to have a word.’

Craig took a step towards me. ‘What?’

‘That cut above your eye. Tamsyn’s been in touch …’

Craig stiffened, and anger flashed across his face. ‘For fuck’s sake.’

‘She thought you got the injury at work.’

Craig muttered, ‘The stupid cow.’

‘Craig! Don’t speak about her like that. She’s worried.’

‘You don’t know what you’re talking about.’

‘I know you’re sounding like a disrespectful—’ I stopped myself.

‘You don’t know anything about my situation,’ Craig said. ‘Let it go.’

I forced myself to speak calmly. ‘But did you get the injury at work?’

‘No.’ Craig’s lips were tight. ‘Can we drop it? I’m fine.’

‘I can’t ignore this, if it happened at work.’

‘It’s fine. I’ll square it with Tamsyn. Leave it be.’ He suddenly looked almost childlike. ‘Please?’