‘Are you OK?’ I asked. A harsh yank on the cuffs. ‘It could be allergies, you know, if you’re struggling to breathe. I had them really bad when I first came to California. Something about the pollen.’

She paused. ‘Hush your mouth now, Adams.’ But it was gentler, and as she led me along, her hand rested lightly on my arm, not tugging me.

I passed Rhonda’s cell on my way, and had time to flash her a big smile. She nodded happily – she knew who I hoped my visitors were.

In the visiting room, two young people. My mood sank a little when I saw how very young they were, not much older than me, surely. In fact they were law students, Andrea and George, both white and clean-cut and preppy.

‘Casey! So nice to meet you.’

I sat down, wrong-footed by their warmth. In here I was used to being treated as a child-killer.

‘You’re from the project?’ I could barely say the word innocence, it was so loaded for me.

‘That’s right. We’re here to work on your case, ahead of your appeal in a few months.’

It was so soon. I clenched my fists.

‘I’d rather know now if there’s no chance.’

They exchanged a look. ‘Casey . . . you were convicted on very flimsy evidence. Character witnesses, really. Impugning your behaviour and demeanour.’ They meant my clothes, my drinking, the fact I’d behaved like a normal teenager and didn’t know it would one day be used against me. ‘There’s very little actual physical evidence.’

‘My prints on the gun. DNA.’

‘Yes. But you lived in the house – and your explanation of picking the gun up is very plausible.’

That was Andrea, who was earnest and a little pudgy, with a kind freckled face and flat loafers. George was tall, slightly gangling, his tie worn loose. It had horses on it, I saw. I wondered if they were romantically involved, noticing how she blushed when he slid a file to her and their hands touched.

‘But I said all that at the trial,’ I said. ‘Why would they listen this time and not then?’

‘Well, for a start, some key witnesses were excluded from the trial. It seems your lawyers made a deal with the prosecution for an easy conviction and less prison time. But you wouldn’t take it?’

‘No. Because I didn’t do it. They were trying to threaten me with the death penalty if I didn’t, but why would I plead guilty to something I just didn’t do?’

They nodded earnestly. ‘Totally.’

‘The system is so broken.’

‘So that’s something we can use – inadequate legal counsel. And we can put a new spin on the other evidence – Madison’s bruises and her odd behaviour, the teacher’s testimony, the fact some of the witnesses were hostile to you.’

‘José,’ I said, leaden. What a mistake I’d made there.