She laughed her wonderful, deep, throaty laugh. When they made love it no longer mattered that her bosses had overlooked her; only Peter was important. She had said it to him that afternoon, and told him she loved him.

He cuddled her close. “I’m glad we’ve got each other, because things are not going too well for me. We may have to stave off looking for a bigger place, the company’s in bad shape and I’m having to spend capital until I get back on my feet.”

She murmured that it didn’t matter, the place was big enough. She asked him then how it had felt, knowing his wife was having an affair with his best friend, a subject she had always steered clear of.

He sighed, stared up at the ceiling. “Like my balls had been cut off. I couldn’t believe it at first, it must have been going on for years behind my back. Then I felt like a bloody fool, you know, that I hadn’t clocked it faster. He was always round the house, but we were partners and I just accepted that he was there to see me. And he was screwing my wife in my own bed!” He punched his palm, hard; it made a satisfying smack. He sighed again. “I wanted to beat him up, have it out that way, but there was no point. I just walked away from it all. She’s got half the money from the house and I bought him out of the company, that’s one of the reasons why cash is so tight at the moment. I should have just told him to fuck off, but I’m not like that and there’s Joey to consider. I reckoned that if I got nasty about the divorce she’d try to stop me seeing Joey. I love that kid, couldn’t bear not to see him.”

Jane stroked his cheek gently. “Any time you want him to stay he’s welcome, you know that, don’t you?”

He hugged her. “Yeah, I do, and I appreciate it. You’re the best thing that’s happened to me in years. I know things’ll work out for you, just be patient.”

She smiled, without mentioning that it was exactly what her Chief’s attitude had been. But she had no intention of being patient. Peter didn’t really understand how important her work was to her, but he was to find out sooner than either of them anticipated.

George Marlow was quiet and co-operative. His fingerprints were taken and he was led to the cells. He stammered a little when he asked to phone his lawyer, seeming shaken, and gave the number. Although on the point of tears, he went out of his way to be helpful, but he still kept asking why he had been arrested.