‘It’s nothing to do with me. I can’t actually believe that you know what I’ve gone through and you can still accuse me.’

She sighs again. She looks at her empty coffee cup.

‘I’m not accusing you. I might as well be honest with you. I know that you have gone through a lot. I’ve seen it all in black and white. And I heard what Katy said before, which, by the way, would add to the harassment charges I urged you to bring and you still could. But you don’t come out of this snow-white either. If it carries on I won’t be able to keep this case and the Premier Inn robbery case separate.’

My stomach snarls up into a knot.

‘What? You mean that he’s allowed to do whatever he wants, but I’m not allowed to have a bit of fun?’

She nods.

‘No. We can all see that your ex-husband’s bit of fun hasn’t gone down well at all. But this guy who has been stalking you – his name is Allan Parrott. Do you know him too, Caroline? He’s got a comprehensive record of what you’ve been up to over the past year or so. You know, the men. Once that gets out you’re not going to be the woman scorned. You’re going to be the woman who picked up married men in Premier Inns.’

Her mouth curls in disgust and DC Lincoln shakes her head.

‘That’s not how it was. I was …’

‘Yeah. Course. But that’s what everyone says. Everyone’s got their reasons, haven’t they? So those pictures on the screen could just as well have been you with those men. I’m just trying to diffuse this before that happens.’

Fuck. Fuck fuck fuck. She isn’t trying to fucking diffuse it. She’s trying to make me panic. What she hasn’t bargained for is the fact that I’m used to this. I’m used to people giving me misinformation, pointing out what the consequences of things are to me like I’m a fucking child. I’m used to it because Jack did it all the time. But not any more. No. And I would like to avoid what was me in a very bad state becoming tabloid fodder. Unfortunately I can’t admit to what I haven’t done.

It’s stalemate. She’s shown her hand. She hasn’t got anything on me, just a load of suspicion and a testimony from my ex.

‘OK, have it your way. But when this breaks it’s going to get ugly. And, if Allan Parrot gets bail, dangerous. So I’m just doing my job and advising you to get out of here now.’