Instead of pushing her, Jack paused to ask if she’d like a fresh cup of tea. As the words left his lips, Jack could almost hear Mason gasp in despair from the other side of the mirror. Bevan left to put the kettle on, leaving Jack and Charlotte alone.

‘The stupid thing is,’ Charlotte continued, ‘if I’d held on for another couple of months, Annie’s dad would have died and left us all the money we needed.’ She shook her head, laughing at her own terrible luck. But she knew there was no stopping now. ‘Michael De Voe,’ she said, almost in a whisper.

Jack’s expression didn’t show his excitement, but on the other side of the mirror, Mason flung open the door to the observation room and grabbed Bevan, who was busy pouring one mug of tea from Canteen Barbara into two polystyrene cups. He told her as soon as she’d delivered the teas, she was to get DI Gifford back to the station and get DI Lee down from Oxford. They’d just learnt the identity of the man behind their gang.

Charlotte held Jack’s gaze. She felt oddly relaxed in his company; which was good because she now had no option but to trust him with her life. ‘De Voe was very interested in the diamond ring. But he knew as soon as he looked at me . . . he knew it wasn’t mine. He asked for provenance knowing I wouldn’t have any. I was about to leave, thinking he wasn’t going to buy stolen goods, or that he was perhaps going to stall me and call the police – but instead he asked if I’d like to be paid in cash! I was so relieved. But I was scared too, and I just wanted to get out of there so, when he asked for ID, I handed over my driving licence without even thinking. ’Course, now he had my name and address. He told me it’d be OK. He told me he wasn’t the kind of man to judge. He could see that I was a good person, just trying my best to survive.’ She shook her head sadly. ‘I’m so stupid.’

Charlotte’s words tailed off and she began sobbing. Bevan entered with the teas, put them both in front of Jack and then left again.

Jack tried to be reassuring. ‘This man, De Voe . . . he trapped you. I know men like Michael De Voe, Charlotte. They prey on innocent people without a second thought. And you’re not stupid.’ Jack slid Charlotte’s cup towards her, making her look up. ‘You’re doing really well. Together, you and me can stop this gang from killing anyone else . . . and then I can give you back your life.’