‘Is that it?’

‘For now. Our more pressing concern is your discussion with the police this morning. Were you cautioned, arrested, or advised of your rights in any way?’

‘No. None of that.’

‘Tell me exactly what you said to DCI Naylor, in as much detail as you can remember.’

I shrugged.

‘I told him everything.’

‘Define everything.’

He took more notes and frowned as I described the conversation, wincing visibly at times as if he had indigestion.

‘So you admitted to being in the hotel car park on Thursday evening?’

‘Yes. I was there.’

‘That’s for them to prove, not for us to serve up on a platter.’

Them and us.

‘He asked me a direct question.’

‘So?’

‘I answered it.’

He put the pad on the table and capped his fountain pen with a snap.

‘Mr Lynch, this process is not about making polite conversation. Normal social niceties don’t apply when you’re talking to the police. They can ask what they want, but you’re not in any way obliged to answer – particularly when it’s a devious, underhand little rat like Detective Chief Inspector Marcus Naylor.’

‘He didn’t seem devious to me,’ I said quietly.

‘That’s half the problem with him. By the time you realise what he’s up to, your neck’s halfway into the noose. You did the right thing, coming to us.’

‘You’ve dealt with Naylor before?’

‘Enough times to know I wouldn’t trust him as far as I could throw him.’

‘Do you think he might say the same about you?’

Larssen sipped his tea and gave a curious little half-smile.

‘Possibly. But the point is, we’re playing big boys’ rules now. Forget being a good citizen and respect for the boys in blue and answering every loaded question they throw at you. Forget helping the police with their enquiries, having a friendly chat at the station, all of that. That’s for people who want to end up getting convicted. From now on you don’t say anything to the police without me being there, not even small talk about the weather or last night’s TV. Nothing at all. Are you able to do that?’

‘Sounds like what a guilty person would do.’

‘It’s what a smart person would do. A person who doesn’t want to end up in jail.’

‘But I haven’t done anything wrong.’

‘You’re a hundred per cent sure about that, are you?’

I paused, wondering for the first time whether he believed my story.

‘I’m not a criminal.’

He nodded.

‘Well all right, then. The good news is that you hadn’t been arrested and told of your rights to legal representation when you talked to them earlier. That’s right, isn’t it?’

‘I asked Naylor whether I should have a solicitor but he said he couldn’t advise me.’