He pulled on heavy-duty black rubber gloves before kneeling down and undoing Osaki’s trousers, sliding them down, along with his underwear, to leave his genitalia bare.

‘I thought long and hard about how to do this and it seemed to me that as you’ve effectively neutered yourself, the most fitting ending would be to represent that in the flesh. It’ll be quick, I promise. Faster than anything you’d have done to yourself. Any last words? Don’t worry, I can imagine them. That way you won’t embarrass yourself by begging. Are you ready?’

He positioned Osaki’s body exactly as he needed it, emptying the jug of water from head to foot then stepping away and drying the gloves on his jeans. He stretched his arms in the air, taking several deep breaths as if about to attempt some Olympic feat. The man looked towards the ceiling, palms upwards, taking a moment.

Osaki watched him, mesmerised. It was as if an audience of thousands was watching and he was about to pull off the greatest magic trick of the century.

Finally, he took a thick wooden stick from his bag and held it directly over the toaster lever. As he pushed it down, allowing a lethal amount of electricity to flow, not a moment too soon, Osaki Shozo passed out.

Chapter Twenty

10 March

‘So, Bruce Jenson left all of his money – every penny of it – to a charity supporting victims of sexual violence. His son said he has no idea why, and I believe him. He’s instructed solicitors to challenge the will; although Jenson had the presence of mind to get a psychiatrist to declare he was of sound mind at the date of the alteration.’

‘The money should go to the charity,’ Callanach said, pushing his lunch away and nursing a black coffee instead.

‘I’m guessing it would help the charity if your mother stepped forwards and explained that the bequest was purposeful. The only problem is that it would create an additional link between you and Jenson, including a motive to have murdered him. It would be in the public domain, too. No possibility of keeping it quiet,’ Ava said, abandoning her own lunch out of sympathy.

‘I should have told the truth in the first place,’ Callanach said. ‘Now I’ve dragged you into it and the prospect of helping a charity that deserves financial support has become a question of them or me. How did it all get so complicated?’

Ava covered his hand with her own. ‘What will your mother want to do?’