‘Like a prick with a sore head,’ said Kelly. He chuckled. ‘He’s in a better state than you, actually. You didn’t do much in the way of damage.’

Macdonald stared up at the ceiling. ‘No comment.’

‘If I was you, and obviously I’m not because you’re the one with the handcuffs on, I’d be wanting to put as much distance between me and the rest of them as I could. A cop was shot. Prison isn’t particularly welcoming to people who take pot-shots at law-enforcement officials.’

‘I didn’t shoot anyone,’ said Macdonald.

‘Which is another point in your favour,’ said Kelly. ‘But it’s going to take more than that to keep you out of a Cat A establishment for the next twenty years.’

O’Connor returned with three plastic beakers on a cardboard tray. He handed the tray to Kelly, then unlocked the handcuff on Macdonald’s left wrist. Macdonald smiled at him gratefully, shook his hand to get the circulation going, then took his beaker of coffee and sipped it.

‘So what’s it to be?’ asked Kelly. ‘Can we bank on your co-operation? Or shall I book you a cell with Verity?’

‘No comment,’ said Macdonald.

Kelly sighed and got to his feet. ‘That’s that, then,’ he said.

The curtain was pulled back and a young woman in a dark blue jacket looked expectantly at him. ‘Jennifer Peddler,’ she said. ‘I’m here for the forensics.’ She jerked her head at Macdonald. ‘This the shooter?’

‘I didn’t shoot anyone,’ said Macdonald.

‘Strictly speaking, that’s true,’ said Kelly. ‘He’s a blagger rather than a shooter.’

Peddler put a large case down on the floor, opened it, took out a pair of surgical gloves and put them on. She was a good-looking woman, with high cheekbones and long chestnut hair tied back in a ponytail.

Kelly chuckled. ‘Not going to give him the full monty, are you?’ he asked. ‘We don’t think he’s got a shotgun up his back passage. We found his weapon at the warehouse.’

The woman flashed Kelly a bored smile. ‘Contamination of evidence,’ she said. She pointed at the handcuff on Macdonald’s right wrist. ‘You’ll need to take that off so he can remove his clothes.’

‘What?’ said Macdonald.

‘Guns were fired, we need to examine your clothing for particles.’

‘I didn’t fire a gun,’ said Macdonald.

‘It’s procedure,’ she said. ‘As these gentlemen will tell you, I don’t need a warrant.’

‘It’s true,’ said O’Connor.

‘Then what am I supposed to wear?’

Kelly smiled. ‘Tell us your address and we’ll send round a car for a change of clothes.’

‘This is madness,’ Macdonald said, annoyed.

‘You can wear a hospital robe,’ said O’Connor.

‘I’m not going into a bloody cop-shop with my arse hanging out,’ said Macdonald.

‘I’ve a forensic suit you can wear,’ said Peddler. She leaned down and took a plastic-wrapped package from her case, tore it open and removed a one-piece suit made from white paper.

‘You’re joking,’ said Macdonald.

‘It’s that or the hospital gown.’