‘I think you may be right,’ he said, nodding slowly. ‘See if you can work out what Ben’s done on that so far.’

Hanson found Ben’s work to be as meticulously logged as she’d been anticipating. It took her no time at all to continue what he’d started, and she quickly immersed herself in cross-checking delivery addresses with their suspects. It was perfect work to avoid thinking about anything. Lots of facts and attention to detail.

It took her a while to notice someone loitering next to her desk. And when she looked up, she tried not to grimace. She’d momentarily forgotten that Jason would be here today.

But she was prepared for this even so. She’d decided how to play it.

She gave him a bright smile and said, ‘How can I help, sir?’

Jason visibly flinched at the deliberate use of rank. ‘Juliette, could we – could we please talk?’

Hanson glanced at her screen. ‘I’ve got quite a lot to do.’

‘So have I,’ Jason said, with slight frustration, ‘but it’s going to get done a lot more quickly if we can clear this up. I can’t think like this.’

Hanson was sorely tempted to ask whose fault it was that he couldn’t concentrate. But this was still Jason, the man she’d cared about up until yesterday. The man she’d spent a great deal of time with. Even if there had been little passion in their relationship, she’d at least felt she could trust him. It was hard not to want him to think well of her on some level.

‘All right,’ she said, standing. ‘I may as well do a coffee run.’

She left a note on Lightman’s desk, picked up her coat, and walked out just ahead of him. She didn’t volunteer anything. She might be willing to talk, but there was no way she was going to kick things off. It was up to Jason to say his piece, or apologise, or whatever it was he wanted to do.

They were crossing the car park before he said, ‘So. Your ex. Damian.’

‘Yes,’ she said. ‘My ex.’ She stressed the word slightly, but that was all she was giving him.

‘When did you stop seeing him?’

‘Several months before I moved here. Would you like to know why I stopped seeing him?’

‘Yes.’

‘Because he was an abusive narcissist,’ she said, with as little emotion as she could. ‘The humiliating thing is how long it took me to see it.’

There was a pause, and then Jason asked, ‘Abusive how?’