‘No one I’m going to name.’ He looked around at her, angry again, almost accusing. ‘But thanks to him, I’m now having to do something I never, ever wanted. My son is nineteen years old. He’s at Lancaster Uni, studying history and archaeology. Theoretically, he has a normal life ahead of him. Or he did have. Now, he’s sitting out there in the van, for fuck’s sake. Waiting for me. Nervous as hell. And so he should be. Because I’ve run out of anyone else I trust, I’ve now had to drag him into something he should never have been part of …’

‘I take it you’re Roy Shankhill?’ she said.

He tried to laugh, though it clearly hurt him.

‘Regular little Sherlock Holmes, you, aren’t you?’ He appraised her with near-contempt. ‘Are you really the best they can do? Frightened of a fucking dummy, not even sure who it is you’re investigating …’

‘Enough of the lip, yeah!’

‘I’ve had enough … I’ll tell you that.’

Even though the money bag was still only half full, Shankhill was visibly exhausted by his efforts. He slumped onto one of the two chairs, his plastered legs protruding out from under his coat like two misshapen sculptures. He patted his sodden brow with a grubby handkerchief.

Lucy studied him, noting what a wreck he was. It irked her that she’d shown fright in the face of the trick he’d played upstairs. She hated it, and was furious with herself, when slimeballs like this got any kind of drop of her.

‘You going to tell me what happened?’ she asked. ‘I presume you want to … you didn’t have to reveal you were here.’

Shankhill eyed her with uncertainty. ‘The fact my lad’s out there is the only reason I’m coming clean with you,’ he said. ‘You were halfway upstairs when you started shouting and bawling that you were a cop. When I heard that, I’ll admit I was a bit relieved … but for all I knew, you might still have the building surrounded. Last thing I want is Luke getting a criminal record. He’s done nothing wrong, you understand? I just asked him to drive me over here so I could pick something up. He didn’t even know I rented this place.’

‘Assuming he’s not blind, he must have half an idea that something bad happened to you.’

‘I say again … he’s not part of this. But he knows enough not to ask questions.’