‘I’ve been picking up a few things, and from what I hear, Weenink could be in big trouble. And if you don’t watch out, Ben, he’s going to take you down with him.’

‘He’s all right, Todd, really.’

‘All right? Are you kidding? We all know his brain drops into his testicles every time something female walks past, for a start.’

Cooper laughed. It was the wrong thing to do. Fry took him by the forearm. Her grip was painful, and very quickly his hand began to go numb.

‘Are you involved in something with Weenink, Ben? Tell me.’

‘Of course not.’

‘You’re lying. What’s more, you’re a pathetically bad liar. You’re the worst bloody liar in the police service, and that’s saying something. What have you done?’

‘Nothing.’

‘I see,’ said Fry. Cooper tried not to give her the satisfaction of showing that she was hurting him. ‘But there’s something going on. I know there is. Maybe you haven’t done anything yourself. But you’re so bloody naive, you’ll get yourself dragged in, and that’ll be the end of you. Have you been covering up for him?’

Cooper said nothing.

‘Oh yes, you’re really one of the lads these days, aren’t you, Ben? The loyal colleague.’

‘If somebody needs support –’

Fry snarled at him. ‘Support? You bloody idiot! For a prat like Weenink!’

Cooper’s eyes were watering from the pain in his arm.

‘If you’re up to something, Ben,’ said Fry, ‘I’ll have your balls for clothes pegs and string ’em up on the same line as your pal Weenink’s. If you’ll take my advice, you’ll bury him. Good and deep.’

‘OK, OK,’ he said. But Fry kept her grip. ‘But there’s one thing, Diane.’

‘What now?’

‘Take a look at the Sugden file again. Do you remember who his defence solicitors were? Quigley, Coleman & Crew.’

Fry’s grip tightened even more. ‘You’re suggesting that Maggie Crew was his solicitor?’

‘No, it was one of the firm’s juniors who represented him in court. But don’t you think she might have met him? Don’t you think she would be able to identify him? Do you think she might even have known who Jenny Weston was?’

‘Rubbish.’

Cooper rubbed his arm as Fry stalked off. If he had been hesitating over what to do about Todd Weenink, now he had been pushed into a corner. Cooper could report what Weenink had told him. But now, if he did, it would be just one more victory for Diane Fry.