‘It’s been a struggle,’ he began to explain. ‘I can’t face her. If I’d only checked on Hirst – if I’d not been complacent that he was inside – then Derek would still be alive. I can’t accept that myself, so how can I ask Sarah to? Derek was her friend, too.’

‘That’s bullshit,’ Levy interrupted. ‘We had two guys on Derek’s house until the Wisdom Penfold theory went south. We wouldn’t have increased that number for Hirst if we’d known about him, and after what happened in Manchester do you really think two would have been enough? Because I sure as hell don’t. Hirst would have walked through those guys and he would have still got to Derek. All that happened by you not clicking earlier is that two officers got to live.’

Michael tried to find some comfort in her words. What she had said was almost certainly true. That Hirst would have got to Derek regardless; he would have made short work of the two cops assigned to his home. But the guilt remained, and it would take time to fade.

‘Call her, Michael,’ Levy continued. ‘Let her know you’re OK.’

Levy looked Michael up and down.

‘You are OK, aren’t you?’

Michael shook his head before speaking.

‘I’m separated from my family at the most stressful time of our lives. All I can think about is their safety. That and my best friend’s mutilated corpse. So am I OK? No. No, I’m not. But I can still look after myself. I can still keep myself safe.’

Levy nodded, taking another sip of her drink.

‘I do know you can take care of yourself, Michael. You know that, right?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I mean I know who you are. Where you’re from. So I know Hirst isn’t coming after some ten-stone weakling.’

‘How much do you know?’

‘I’ve got the highest possible clearance at Scotland Yard. And anything they don’t want to tell me, do you think I spent that many years in Shin Bet without picking up a few tricks? I know the lot. Joe Dempsey. Joshua. And Liam.’

Michael leaned back in his seat.

Clearance or no clearance, you don’t know everything, he thought. If you did you’d have put Anthony Haversume at the top of that list.

‘If you know all of that, why are you still so worried about me?’

‘Because you’re out here on your own this time. I know how much you can handle, but this time you don’t have your brother next to you. Or Joe Dempsey backing you up. Hirst is dangerous. Lethal. Look what he did to Hale.’

‘We knew that anyway,’ Michael replied. ‘But I’ve made my decision. So please tell Sarah I’m fine. And please, no mention of what happened tonight with O’Driscoll.’

‘Both of those things go without saying. But you should be telling her yourself.’

‘I know. And I will.’

Michael downed what was left of his glass, stood up and indicated to the barman.