‘Just take a while to think about it. Please. I don’t want to lose you. I probably haven’t made it clear enough how much I care about you. Or how much it hurt when I thought all this shit was true.’ He squeezed her free hand, briefly. ‘I’m sorry for being so stupid, but that’s all it is. Stupidity.’

As he let go of her hand, Hanson felt as though her defences were being burrowed under. And it made her feel a sick, dizzy sense of déjà vu. This was what Damian had done to her, over and over.

She’d never thought of Jason as being anything like him. How had he managed to poison this so completely?

‘Of course I’ll think about it,’ she said, as he gave her a questioning look. ‘I’ve always cared about you too. But I need to work now.’

She entered CID ahead of him, and although she held the door for him, she didn’t walk alongside him as she returned to her desk.

Lightman returned to the flat on Admirals Quay and parked up in the underground car park of April Dumont’s building. The rigmarole with being allowed up in the lift was repeated with a new concierge, and he was deposited once again on the top floor.

April emerged into the hallway, dressed in a loose white top over a very visible black bra, and distressed silver and black leggings with biker boots. She looked unashamedly out of place in the ultra-sleek apartment.

‘Dan’s at work,’ April told him, as she sprawled on one of the sofas.

‘Right,’ Lightman said. ‘Dan is …?’

‘My husband,’ April said, and then laughed at the surprise on his face. ‘Oh, you thought I was footloose and fancy free? No. Some marriages run better on a little spice, if you want the truth.’

Lightman nodded and decided not to write this down at present.

‘You want a drink or something?’ April asked, with a slow smile.

‘I’m fine, thanks,’ he said. ‘I need to ask you a few things about Friday night.’

‘I want to ask some things first,’ April said, sitting up. ‘Why did you arrest Louise? She isn’t the kind of person to hurt anyone.’

‘I can understand your worry,’ Lightman said, nodding. ‘There were various circumstances around the finding of the body that are of some concern. But we are investigating –’

‘I know Louise,’ April said, cutting across him. ‘She’s not going to go home with some man she’s never met. That is not her MO. Not her MO at all.’

‘You’re saying that Louise … had nothing to do with anyone at the club?’

‘Damn right I am,’ April said. ‘She was drunk and hurting and the most I saw her do was talk to a couple guys nicely.’

‘Could you tell us who you went home with?’ Lightman asked.