‘Niall,’ Patrick said, his voice suddenly sharp. ‘I’ve told you everything I know. Perhaps it’s worth you considering what you know of your wife’s character, and whether she is capable of this action, before you damage her defence.’

Niall’s expression went momentarily slack. He looked, just then, like a chastened child. ‘I’m not … I’m … I’m sorry.’ He looked down, towards the floor. ‘I didn’t mean to – I’m not accusing her of anything.’

‘Good,’ Patrick said, nodding. ‘I’m glad.’

Another silence grew between them, and then Niall asked, ‘So what’s next? What do I do?’

‘Perhaps you should go home,’ the solicitor said.

Niall shook his head. ‘I want – I need to see the police. I want to talk to them. Myself.’ He looked up at the solicitor. ‘I found out that – that she’d been arrested from the bloody news.’

‘I called you as soon as I could, and I think the police have been trying to reach you –’

‘Yeah, I know,’ Niall snapped. And then he added, in a quieter voice, ‘I’m sorry, Patrick. I should be … grateful to you. It just feels suddenly like there are sides. My side and hers.’

‘There are no sides as far as I’m concerned,’ Patrick told him, reaching out to put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. He gave a small smile. ‘In my official position as your best friend, I’m here for both of you. All right?’

Hanson spent the remainder of the journey back mulling over what Issa had told them. It seemed possible that Alex and Louise had gone home together for sex, but they had no proof that a liaison had occurred at the club. Nothing on any of the cameras. Nothing from the bar staff or Louise’s friend. And the two of them had technically left separately.

She was still thinking it all over as they drew back into the car park at the rear of Southampton Central. As she climbed out of the chief’s Mondeo, she found herself looking at a black BMW 3 Series that was hovering up near the entrance to the station. She felt her heart squeeze in immediate response.

It’s not him, she told herself, as she removed the laptop from the car and closed the door. But she couldn’t look away from the car. She thought she could make out the driver’s shape in the light from the street lamps, and in her mind he became Damian, sitting at the steering wheel and watching her.