‘You coached a key witness in a murder trial?’ Levy spoke slowly, looking at Michael in disbelief. ‘You arranged for Tina Barker to commit perjury, to secure a conviction and a life sentence?’

‘Yes.’ Michael’s answer was emotionless. It was done. He was ready for the consequences.

‘Then I . . . I think I have to arrest you.’ Levy sounded unsure of herself. As if she was reaching a conclusion that went against every natural instinct. She slowly pushed her whiskey glass away. A sign to Michael that, in that moment, their relationship had changed. ‘I don’t think you’ve left me any choice.’

‘I know that,’ Michael replied. ‘I knew that when I started speaking. And I won’t deny any of what I just told you when the time comes. But please do me one favour. Please let’s deal with Hirst first. Let’s not split your resources with another case while that bastard is still out there. Deal with Hirst – catch him – and then you can do whatever you have to with me. But after. Please.’

Levy did not speak for a moment, and Michael could see her struggling with the decision she now had to make. What he had told her was a confession to a serious criminal offence. It was her duty to arrest him and to do so now, but at the same time he knew she could see the sense in his words. Hirst had to be the priority. Michael’s seventeen-yearold crime was a distraction the overstretched MIT One could do without right now.

‘After, then,’ Levy finally agreed, in a voice that said she would have preferred ‘never’. ‘But don’t think we’re not coming back to this, Michael.’

‘I don’t doubt it.’

‘You shouldn’t. Now finish the story. Because so far I can see why you’re a target. And Blunt. And maybe even Tina Barker. But not Derek Reid and Phillip Longman.’

Michael nodded and continued.

‘Tina gave her evidence perfectly. To be honest, I think by the time I had finished with her in that room I’d managed to convince her that what she was about to say was true. That she really had seen the tattoo. Because she was flawless. Derek and Longman, though? They both knew better.

‘Obviously Tina had made no mention of the tattoo in her original statement. Or anywhere else. Otherwise I wouldn’t have needed to step in. So when she said it in her evidence almost everyone was shocked. Derek. Longman. And most definitely Hirst. I kept my eyes to the floor and tried hard not to react at all. Too hard, as it turns out. Because I was noticed.

‘As soon as Tina’s evidence ended, Derek asked for a short adjournment. Longman granted it. And as we stood to leave the court – after the jury had been taken out – Hirst started to go crazy behind the glass. Started demanding that we came straight down to see him in the cells, to go over what had just happened. He was screaming and shouting at Blunt, too. Accusing him of nobbling the witness. Of fitting him up. But Derek ignored him. Instead he took me by the arm and practically ran me out of the courtroom.