‘What are you up to?’

‘Oh, the usual, you know.’

‘You still working up west?’

‘For my sins, yeah. Listen, there’s a murder case and it’s kicking everyone’s arse, if I’m honest, mate. I wondered if you could do me a favour.’

‘What do you need?’

Trevor clearly hadn’t heard about my misadventures and I wasn’t going to put him straight, was I? It was him that found me the number I needed, as it goes. Called me back with it, good as gold.

‘We should have a pint and catch up.’

‘Let’s do that,’ I said.

‘Fair warning though, I’m a bit fatter and a bit greyer than the last time I saw you. That’s the kids, I reckon.’

‘Yeah, we should definitely get together . . . I’ll give you a bell when this thing eases off a bit. Up to my tits at the moment . . .’

Then, once I’d called the Incident Room: ‘DC Seddon isn’t available at the moment.’

‘I’d like to leave a message, then.’

‘What’s it concerning?’

‘Just tell him it’s about the Kevin Connolly murder.’

‘Can I take your name, madam?’

‘I don’t think you understand. I’m actually here. Where the murder happened. I’m on the spot.’

‘OK, but I’ll still need your details.’

I gave the woman my name then I gave her my rank. She took my mobile number and assured me that a member of the team would call me back.

I stayed in my room for a couple of hours after that, trying to decide the best way forward while I was waiting for Seddon to ring. It was hard, though, because after a while I began to think about Johnno then about Andy and those two-faced psychiatrists at A&E and everyone else who’d betrayed me. I started to wonder if Seddon could even be trusted at all.

I opened my laptop and did some Googling.

How much does a nurse earn?

British nurse average wage.

Steven Seddon Met Police Record.

Just before lunch, L-Plate knocked on my door and strolled in. There was going to be an occupational therapy session in the afternoon, she announced, and was I going to come. I told her that I didn’t know they’d found the money to get the OT woman back and Lucy said they hadn’t, that one of the staff was going to run the session.

‘Probably won’t be as good,’ she said. ‘But it’ll be nice to do some drawing again.’

‘I’ve got things to do,’ I said.

‘Come on, Al, it’ll be fun.’

‘Will it?’

Lucy giggled and leaned close, whispering, like it wasn’t just the two of us in the room. ‘I’m going to imagine her with no clothes on . . . stark bollock naked . . . and draw that. It’ll be hysterical. Or repulsive, I don’t know yet.’