‘That’s useful. Thanks, Ben.’

Ben let himself out again, and Jonah’s thoughts bounced between Louise Reakes, her husband, and the sudden introduction of April to the proceedings. He mentally balanced up the time they still had in which to charge Louise Reakes, and his determination not to arrest her husband until they absolutely had to. If they were going to mount an entire new case against him, Jonah didn’t want to be rushing to make another custody deadline.

He approached O’Malley again, where he was still working at his desk, his eyes bloodshot.

‘You’ve definitely drawn a blank on Niall Reakes’s car?’

O’Malley nodded. ‘He’s not on any cameras until Saturday morning. Dina Weyman likewise.’

‘Louise has identified the earring as hers,’ Hanson chipped in. ‘And she’s added to her statement. She says she remembers a man holding her face down on the ground and pressing what he said was a knife into her back. She remembers the pain of her earring catching on his sleeve as he adjusted his grip, and it coming free.’

‘Anything direct about an assault?’

Hanson nodded, her face a little grim. ‘He pulled her dress up and dragged her underwear down. That’s all she has, but assuming her account is true, it sounds highly likely that she was raped. She’s accepted an examination this time.’

Jonah tried to fit in this idea of rape. Could Niall have raped her after finding her with Alex Plaskitt? Had he stabbed Alex and raped his wife? What, then, had happened to Alex while the rape was happening? And was it really nothing more than coincidence that Alex had kissed Louise’s best friend only an hour or so before?

‘Have we managed to raise Dina Weyman yet?’

O’Malley shook his head. ‘Sorry. I’ve tried both numbers. Want me to send a uniform round there?’

Jonah looked at his watch and let out a long sigh. ‘It’s seven forty-five. That might have to be one for the morning. We can’t keep Niall much longer without arresting him.’ He nodded to himself. ‘OK. I want to get Louise Reakes released on bail as soon as the examination is done. I’ll tell her husband he’s free to go, too, and ask him back in here tomorrow. The house has been thoroughly searched, so there’s no evidence there to destroy or dispose of. I suspect we may have more to gain by letting some kind of confrontation happen between them. And we’re going to be there to see it.’

O’Malley grimaced. ‘And there was I thinking you might be about to send us home.’

‘I don’t mind being on stake-out,’ Hanson said. ‘In case that helps.’