‘Exactly. And do you know why? Because you’re fucking useless. You need to take these lads in hand; they think they own the fucking place. This man here has offered two hundred thousand pounds and not one person has come forward with anything useful. It’s shameful. You need to be finding those Cotton boys.’

‘Actually, that’s not true. We have had information, just anonymously.’

The journalist smiled. It was good TV: a bereaved mother giving a copper a toasting with colourful expletives. They’d have to run it past legal first, though, because the police could easily block it.

‘How do we get to those lads if no one will tell us where they are?’ Kelly asked.

‘Raid ’em. Open every friggin’ door until you find ’em.’

Millie nodded furiously behind Sharon.

‘Head office tried that on Thursday and look what happened. Besides, we’re already trying to find the Cotton brothers.’

‘Not hard enough.’

Kelly knew why, but she wasn’t about to explain to Sharon and Thomas that the man blocking the process and derailing the whole inquiry was her boss.

‘You don’t think Tyrone did it either, do you? You need to look at your own. No one trusts you.’

‘Where did you hear that?’ Kelly caught her breath.

Sharon hollered. Kelly winced. A woman came over and Sharon introduced her. She was the mother of a young teenager who’d got involved with the local gang scene. He was scared; he wanted out but didn’t know how. He’d been hiding at his auntie’s.

‘I told her to go and see the solicitor Keira was talking to, but the lad’s too scared. Everyone is.’

‘Keira was talking to a solicitor?’

‘Yeah, someone fancy in Manchester. She got the train there.’

‘What about?’

‘How would I know? All the letter said was that it was no win no fee or something, and she could get a lot of money. I rang them but they wouldn’t talk to me: data protection.’

‘Do you have the letter?’

Sharon took a piece of paper out of her jeans and unfolded it. Kelly scanned it, then looked at the woman who’d just arrived.

‘Do you think your son would talk to me?’

‘No.’

She turned to Sharon.

‘Sharon, what you’re doing here is incredible. You’ve got people on the streets, caring for something, fighting for something, and that’s amazing. I want to know how you’ve done it. I want to meet the people helping you. Will you show me what’s being done? Who organised the march? What do you intend to do when you get to constabulary HQ?’

‘Oh, here we go,’ Sharon said. ‘This is why she’s here. She’s been sent by the establishment to put us off.’

‘No, you’re wrong. I’m on your side.’

‘So you’re a do-gooder now?’

‘I hope that’s what I’ve always been.’