Slumping down at the bare table, I hid my face in my hands. ‘You don’t know what you’ve done to me, Danny Callendar. Or whoever you are. You have no idea.’

Everything I thought I knew had gone now; the ground beneath my feet was disintegrating. James and I were finished and though I knew he’d deserted me already, I suppose I’d held on to some vestige, that somewhere deep down, Danny had really cared. He must have loved me: he had come back to see me that night. But now, now I realised it was all just a game; that it had meant nothing. Worse than a game, even. Just a job.

‘Rose, please,’ Danny’s voice was tense. ‘I tried to stay away from you. Right from the start. I tried, and I know I fucked up, and I failed you. I couldn’t stay away. I tried.’

The tears were streaming down my face. ‘Why me?’

‘I couldn’t help it.’ He threw his fag on the floor and he walked towards me and he held my face between his hands. ‘Listen to me, you daft woman, I didn’t lie to you, not about my feelings. I was doing my job, but – and it’ll be fucking curtains for me,’ he had never sworn, I realised, normally, ‘it’ll be over for me if they know, but listen, listen to me, Rose.’

‘I’m listening.’ I breathed deep, trying not to sob.

‘It was just about you.’ He leaned towards me and he was almost whispering. I could see the tiny freckles on his nose now. ‘That’s all. Just you and me.’

And, oh God, I wanted to believe him; I needed something to hold on to as the world kept tipping on its head.

‘I’ve got to go, Rose. But listen …’

Tipping until it would throw me right off.

‘I am listening,’ I said fiercely, wiping my face.

‘I’ll find you again, I promise. Afterwards. I’ll come and explain properly.’

‘And James?’ I croaked.

‘Kattan had some kind of grievance against James that he never shared with me.’ Danny leaned down and gently wiped my face; just like he had once before. My skin felt like butter, like it would hold the imprint he lightly made.

‘Grievance? Over what?’

‘I don’t know exactly. He was settling scores for his son, I think.’

‘For Ash?’

‘Something to do with that secret society the barrister mentioned. Does that make sense?’

‘But –’ my mind was reeling – ‘but whatever, if huge drug deals were happening, why is Kattan not implicated? I don’t understand.’

‘Just because, Rose. He’s wanted for far bigger things. And James was stupid, he was tempted by greed and desperation. He should have stayed away from them. It was always going to be bad business.’

‘Are you saying James did it?’ I whispered.

Danny shrugged. ‘What do you think?’