Finally her turn came and she ducked into a booth. She punched her PIN number into the metal keypad of the phone and then dialled Frank’s number. The phone rang for a few rings, then Rita answered it in her characteristic Essex accent.

‘Hello, Sullivan Knight Solicitors. How can I help?’

It sounded pretty authentic, Bailey had to admit. Rita did indeed come across exactly like a secretary in a law firm somewhere.

‘It’s Bailey Pike speaking. I’d like to talk to Mr Knight please.’

‘Just putting you through.’

Some holding music came on – a sorrowful and hypnotic piano melody that she’d heard before but which, like most classical music, she couldn’t put a name to.

It stopped abruptly as Frank came on the line.

‘Hello Bailey.’

‘What’s the holding music? It sounds familiar.’

‘Beethoven’s ‘Moonlight Sonata’.’

‘A personal choice?’

‘It’s one of his most popular pieces.’

‘It’s kind of… funereal-sounding.’

‘I’m sure it’ll grow on you.’ He paused. ‘Are you okay to talk?’

She glanced around and pushed herself further into the booth. There wasn’t a lot of privacy, but the general background noise would help to drown out her conversation.

‘It’s fine,’ she said. ‘No one can hear me.’

‘What’s the status of your investigation?’

‘I checked out the laundry. Looks like it’s a dead end. And so far I haven’t heard anything to suggest that Alice’s cover was blown.’

‘What about the drugs ring?’

‘Nothing yet. But then I’ve only been in here two days.’

‘Maybe it’s time you started making some friends.’

‘You don’t need to tell me how to do my job.’

‘Sorry. I don’t mean to rush you. It’s just that I’m certain someone in there must know something. Have you managed to talk to her cellmate?’

‘I’m working on it. If someone in here knows something, I’ll find them and I’ll find out what they know. But I’ll do it my way.’

There was a pregnant pause on the other end of the line.

‘A slight complication has arisen that you should be aware of,’ he said.

‘What’s that?’

‘Alice’s family are unhappy about the fact that her death’s been covered up. They want to know what happened to her and they’ve threatened to go to the newspapers.’

Bailey let the news sink in. She tried to get her head around the potential ramifications of what he’d just told her. ‘What’s the official version of events?’

‘They were told that she died in the line of duty on an unspecified undercover operation.’

‘And they want to know the specifics?’

‘Yeah. We’ve told them it could jeopardise ongoing operations and even the lives of people involved, but they’re pretty persistent. They’re upset and angry. Understandably.’

‘Hold them off for as long as you can. I don’t think there’s any need to panic just yet.’

‘Glad to see you’re keeping cool.’

‘I used to do this for a living, remember?’

She hung up the phone and went back to her cell, already feeling an acute sense that the pressure on her was starting to ramp up.