Both men looked at the door as a key was inserted into the lock. The door was opened by a female officer carrying a small plastic tray, the blonde who’d been on the ground floor. She was in her late twenties and wore matching coral pink lipstick and nail varnish. ‘You making the new man welcome, Lee?’ she asked.

‘Yes, ma’am,’ said Lee, getting to his feet in a show of manners that took Macdonald by surprise.

The prison officer placed the tray on Macdonald’s bunk. It held a metal Thermos flask, a small packet of cornflakes, a carton of milk and a plastic spoon. There was also a plastic cup and a polythene bag, containing tea bags and sachets of coffee and sugar. She handed him a paper bag. Macdonald opened it and smiled when he saw a bacon sandwich inside. It had been his staple diet since he’d been in custody.

‘That’s all I could get at this time of the night,’ she said. ‘I’m Principal Officer Lloyd-Davies. I gather you’re not introducing yourself at the moment.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Macdonald, and he meant it. He knew that she could have let him go hungry.

‘Don’t worry about Lee here, his bark’s worse than his bite.’

‘We’re getting on fine,’ said Macdonald.

‘Are those the only clothes you’ve got?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘They didn’t give you any at Reception?’

‘Apparently I was too late.’

‘There’s not much I can do, this time of night,’ she said. ‘Are you okay sleeping in that thing?’

‘I’ve slept in worse, ma’am.’

‘I’ll get you another set tomorrow. Good night, then.’

Lloyd-Davies locked the door and Lee sat down. Macdonald took the sandwich out of the paper bag. He held it up. ‘You want half ?’

Lee shook his head.

Macdonald took a bite. The bacon was cold but he was ravenous. ‘She seems okay,’ he said.

‘Lloyd-Davies? Yeah, she’s fair.’

‘Didn’t realise they had women in men’s prisons.’

‘Equality, innit? Most of them are pig-ugly dykes, though.’

‘Not her. She’s a looker.’ Macdonald took another bite of his sandwich. He gestured at the light. ‘When does that go off ?’

Lee laughed. ‘You haven’t been inside before, have you? There’s no lights-out any more.’ He pointed to a switch by the cell door. ‘You turn it off yourself. They don’t even tell us to turn off the TV, so long as we don’t make too much noise. Not that there’s much on after midnight. When are you back in court?’

‘I’m not sure.’

‘No way you’ll get bail if you don’t tell them your name.’

‘Doubt I’ll get bail anyway,’ said Macdonald.

‘Bastards,’ said Lee.

‘Yeah,’ agreed Macdonald.

Macdonald woke to the sound of Lee crunching cornflakes. He was sitting at the metal table by the window, reading a paperback book propped up against the wall. Down the landing, Macdonald could hear rap music.

‘Rise and shine,’ said Lee, through a mouthful of cereal.

‘What time is it?’

‘Seven thirty.’