‘Patrol picked up a man yesterday afternoon who reportedly exposed himself to some teenage girls in a park. He will be charged with indecent exposure, but I was keen to see if you recognised him.’ She paused and motioned for me to take a seat, but I was too jittery. ‘He’s of similar height and build to that you described, and I’ve got a feeling he’s into more than flashing.’ She didn’t wait for me to answer, just nodded as though we had agreed on something and disappeared out of the room.

I backed against the wall, sweat manifesting on the nape of my neck. She wasn’t going to bring him in here, was she? Force him through the door by the scruff of the neck for me to see? No, surely not. I didn’t want to face him. I couldn’t face him. God no. My legs buckled, and I leant against the desk in the centre of the room. Willing myself to keep calm, I listened to the drum of my pulse quickening in my ears. My head whirled. Fuck’s sake, Eve, you need to pull yourself together. I lowered my head to my knees, trying to stop the room from spinning.

‘Eve, are you okay?’ Detective Emmerson was back in the room, her hand resting on my shoulder. When did she return?

‘Yeah.’ I sat, pressing my ice like palms against my steaming face. The room eased back into focus. Although relieved she was alone, there was a possibility I would be sick on the floor.

‘Let me get you some water.’ Off she went, and the room was empty again.

I balled my hands into fists and banged them against my thighs. Furious I had shown weakness. He was going to pay for what he’d reduced me to. I blinked away hot tears which threatened to spill.

The door opened, and Emmerson returned with a plastic cup of water, which I drank in one go. The way she observed me, her face full of concern, amplified the heat in my scarlet cheeks.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t think. Are you okay? Do you feel able to continue?’

Continue what? We hadn’t even started.

Her palm rested across a pile of blank sheets of paper on the table.

‘I have six photos here of potential suspects. I’ve included the man arrested for indecent exposure and a still from the CCTV I told you about from the day of the attack. When you’re ready, I’ll turn them over,’ she said, as if I were a child.