‘And is it true?’ Jonah asked, with interest.

McCullough gave a derisive laugh. ‘I’d say it’s pretty unlikely to do anything at all. Viagra works by increasing blood supply to the groin. Men who take it don’t need it because they can’t get horny. It’s because they can’t get an erection.’

‘Right,’ Jonah said, not sure quite why he’d thought this conversation a good idea. ‘So it’s more than a little odd that Louise Reakes had it in her system.’

He thought of Niall and decided that this was a strong sign against his involvement. Unless he’d somehow spiked something that he knew Louise would drink. Viagra tablets could presumably be crushed and added to most things. But that would be a bizarre move. Could he really have got himself into such a twisted state that he’d wanted his wife to cheat so he could take revenge?

‘I’ve also taken prints from the articles we found at the park,’ McCullough said. ‘Obviously no analysis run until tomorrow, but if you need to show them to your suspects, they’re now yours.’

‘I’ll get one of the team to pick them up, thank you.’

Jonah ended the call feeling as though nothing quite added up. The only theories he currently had to explain everything seemed more than outlandish.

Which meant they had to go for hard facts, however small, he thought. There were things they could pin down.

He ducked back out into CID, and told O’Malley he’d be ready in a minute, then asked Hanson if she’d had any response from Dina Weyman, Niall’s ex-wife.

‘She’s going to call back,’ Hanson replied. ‘She’s supposed to be at some important meeting but will see what she can do.’

‘OK, great. I’d like you to show Louise the items you picked up at the park. They’re ready to collect from Linda.’

Hanson nodded and rose, her expression still distant, but not bleak or on edge, he thought. Whatever was going on, she seemed to be holding it together.

‘Is everyone hanging in there OK?’ he asked O’Malley once she’d left, trying to say it lightly.

‘Ah, sure, I think so,’ O’Malley said, with a shrug. ‘I mean, sure, it’s Sunday night and we’d all rather be at home, and I think Juliette got hypothermia at the park, but, you know.’

Jonah nodded, and glanced over at Lightman, who was on the phone.

‘Is Ben on the line to Step Conti?’

‘Yup,’ O’Malley agreed. ‘Just started the call. Do you need something from him?’

‘Nothing that can’t wait until we’ve seen Niall Reakes,’ he said. ‘Let’s go.’

‘Sorry about this,’ Lightman told Step, once his wife had fetched him to the phone. ‘I know Sunday evenings aren’t the best time.’