Just being in the house made Lewis feel dirty. He’d dealt with paedophiles before, more than he cared to count, and it was a part of the job he loathed. Lewis was glad he didn’t understand them. He was happy he didn’t share their deviant tastes. He silently observed that scum like Davies destroyed so many lives. They preyed on the innocent. As if children were worthless. As if they didn’t matter at all.

‘I’m coming in. It’s the police.’

Davies spat a large globule of partially congealed blood from his mouth as Lewis entered the lounge, with its charity store furniture and frayed floral carpet. ‘Thank fuck for that. I thought he might have come back.’

Lewis glared down at his suspect, feeling nothing but revulsion. Davies looked so ordinary, so unthreatening. What a shame men like him don’t come with PAEDO stamped on their foreheads in large letters people couldn’t miss. Or maybe they should carry a bell. Unclean, yeah, maybe carry a bell. A warning to stay well clear. ‘You thought who might have come back?’

Davies raised a hand to his face, wincing on touching a torn lip, a part of which hung down onto to his bloody chin. ‘The bastard who did this to me. Who do you fucking think?’

Lewis strolled around the room, peering from one place to another, spotting a laptop, asking himself if it was worth looking at. Maybe the tech team could find something useful. Something to put the scrote back inside where he belonged. ‘Mr Peter Davies, I presume?’

‘What are you going to do about the fucking state I’m in?’

‘Well, now, let me think. I’m assuming someone found out that you’re a filthy little nonce. Am I right?’

Davies looked away. ‘I want to press charges.’

Lewis smiled as he slowly approached him. ‘I’m guessing you were beaten up by someone with kids of their own. Someone like me who can’t stand the sight of you. Someone who doesn’t want a nasty little pervert like you anywhere near.’

‘What the fuck do you want?’

‘I know what you’re up to, you dirty little paedo. I saw the play area on the corner, the slide, the swings, the climbing frame, the mothers with kids in tow. That’s why you moved here. That’s why you chose this house. I’d be willing to bet your landlord doesn’t know your history. Unless he’s a nonce as well, of course. Shit sticks together. It’s as predictable as night and day.’

‘I said I want to press charges.’

‘This is a nice neighbourhood, a family neighbourhood. I suggest you fuck off somewhere else. It’s not a place for the likes of you.’

Davies visibly tensed as he lost control of his bladder. ‘Look at the fucking state I’m in. I need help. My ribs are broken. I’m losing blood. I want to press charges.’

Lewis laughed. ‘There’s only one thing as low as a nonce in the eyes of the criminal classes, and that’s a grass. I’d forget about making any allegations if I were you. I could put the word out, let people know. And as for helping you, I wouldn’t gob on you if you were going up in flames.’