‘I’m aware of that,’ Ava said. ‘Where were you when I called you to meet me at the mortuary to see Stephen Berry’s body?’

‘I told you at the time, I was at my flat. I hadn’t unpacked. I still haven’t after last night …’

‘Actually, you said you were at the gym, so I’m curious that it turns out you were at a nursing home visiting a man called Bruce Jenson.’

‘Bruce Jenson?’ Callanach paused. There was no way Ava could know anything about Jenson. They’d never discussed him or what he’d done to his mother. ‘Sorry, I don’t understand what you’re asking me.’

‘Are you denying that you lied to me about the gym?’ She was breathing fast, her voice louder than the conversation warranted.

Ava was furious, Callanach realised, and it was about more than just being lied to.

‘Fine, I wasn’t at the gym. I had personal business that I didn’t want to discuss. No big deal. What’s going on, Ava?’

‘I’m not Ava right now,’ she said, her voice little more than a whisper. ‘I’m DCI Turner. And once this conversation’s over, I’m going to have to make up a formal statement recording what we both said. Technically speaking, I should probably have another officer in here as a witness, but you saved my life last night, so I’m giving you this, but I won’t break procedure to any greater degree. Were you at the nursing home, yes or no?’

‘Yes,’ Callanach said.

Ava’s folded arms flopped momentarily to her sides as if defeated before she took control and landed them forcefully on her hips.

‘And you lied to me because?’

‘You needed me and I didn’t want you to think you were disturbing me,’ he said.

‘You lied to me for my own sake?’ Ava’s voice was getting louder.

‘I lied because I made the decision to get straight back on with work. I wasn’t doing anything I couldn’t walk away from. What exactly has happened that’s so …’

‘Bruce Jenson’s dead,’ Ava said abruptly, watching his face.

Callanach remained still.

‘He had advanced dementia and death was apparently inevitable, the doctor said, but not expected any time soon. He had perhaps a year, maybe more left. His doctor hadn’t seen him for a month and the nurses were happy with his condition, so they were surprised to find him deceased. In those circumstances, procedure is for there to be a postmortem and then …’

‘Wait,’ Callanach said. ‘Just … give me a moment.’