Sargant Prangle goes to press stop on the tape recorder, but hesitates a moment, then leaves it running. ‘That’s a very brave thing you just did, Josh. Thank you. I want to tell you that this is not your fault. These people have been preying on you for a long time. What they’re doing is not because of you, or for you. You are not the centre of this. I want you to think about something for me for a minute. Before Alan and Vince and the meetings, has anyone else ever talked to you about these kinds of things? Used that kind of hate speech? Consistently brought up the topic or asked you about it?’

I think very hard, but nothing comes. It’s almost like the life I had before that first meeting belongs to someone else now. ‘No. Nothing I can think of,’ I say.

‘OK. Just one final question. Do you think you were followed here today?’

‘No.’ I’m certain of this.

She speaks the time into the recorder, then presses stop, leans back and sighs, rubs her eyes with the palms of her hands before speaking again. ‘We’re going to act on this immediately.’ Despite the hardness in her voice, there’s a sense of uncertainty about her. ‘I’m going to make some calls, get the boys in who specialise in this. We’re only a rural station.’ She looks a little guilty at this point. ‘Now, if no one suspects you’re here today, as you’ve said, the boys’ll probably prefer a dawn raid – gives us time to verify a few of these allegations. We can’t send an officer home with you, but we’ll make sure a local patrol passes your house more often if that would make you feel safer?’

Mum shakes her head. Perhaps she’s had enough of police officers at our house. Or perhaps she didn’t hear. Too busy thinking about what I’ve done.

‘OK. We’ll be in touch. Tomorrow probably.’

‘What about Dana? She can’t go to her house.’

‘We know. We can’t get hold of her mother. We’ll … make arrangements.’

‘Can’t she come with us? Mum?’

Mum jerks her head, as if just waking up at hearing me call her. ‘What’s that?’

‘Can Dana stay with us? Until we hear from the police?’

‘Fine with me.’ Her voice is barely above a whisper.

There’re some forms to sign, and Mum double-takes when she sees Dana in her clothes. Dana quickly wraps her coat tighter around herself.

‘Hello again, Mrs Milton.’

‘Hello, Dana. I’ll get the car and meet you both out the front. Five minutes.’

‘There’s a back door, Mrs Milton. Best to use that, I think. It’s on Pond Street. I’ll get someone to wait there and they’ll radio me when you arrive.’