Christopher Whiteside knew this was a veiled threat and grinned. The grin was similar to Boysie Cavanagh’s and Limmington felt the same fear. Only this time it was tinged with disgust.

‘I have in my possession a writ, a copy of a writ actually, which is to be served on yourself as a matter of fact. It states that on sixteen different occasions you have harassed the Cavanagh twins, the culmination being a charge of murder that could not be corroborated.

‘Now let’s look at this rationally, shall we? We have no evidence at all, we have a writ with sixteen different times you have allegedly harassed the Cavanaghs. The papers would have a field day! I have it on good authority that the News of the World are very interested in it already. You’re a good policeman, Limmington, one of the best in fact. But if you pursue this, you’re heading for a fall from a great height, in fact. Leave it. Let’s just keep our eye on them and wait our chance.’

Limmington felt his body sag. It had all been for nothing. He felt physically sick.

‘So you’re letting them go then?’ His voice was low, barely audible.

Whiteside smiled, a ‘we’re all boys together’ smile.

‘They were discharged from custody two hours ago.’

Harry turned and left the room.

He walked back to his office like a man already beaten. He picked up the telephone and dialled a number. The Home Secretary was unavailable to take his call, he was told.

Harry had a feeling he would be unavailable for a long while yet.

Boysie had gone straight to Suzannah’s house, to reassure her everything was all right. Marcus and Daniel went home to Manor Park.

Bernadette and Briony were so pleased to see them the two men were overwhelmed with kisses and hugs. Cissy, bursting into tears, began to cook them a breakfast the likes of which they would never see again in their lives.

Drinking a cup of tea, they listened with troubled faces as Bernadette and Briony explained the truth about Sellars. Marcus was devastated. Daniel on the other hand was so angry Briony thought he was going to walk up the stairs and commit another murder there and then.

‘She what?’

‘It’s true, Danny Boy.’ Bernie’s voice was ashamed. ‘Jimmy never touched the child. He hit Delia because of her treatment of Faithey. Delia told us the whole of it last night. She wanted Jimmy taught a lesson. He’d been batting away from home, told her to get lost. She was getting her own back.’