‘Hey, maybe,’ Lucy said with sarcasm. ‘Look – perhaps it genuinely wasn’t your fault that you totally screwed her up the first time. But it is going to be your fault if you do it again. I might as well be honest … these flowers, this birthday card. She thinks you want a reconciliation.’

McCracken didn’t respond but appeared to give it more and even deeper thought.

‘I must admit,’ Lucy said, ‘I wondered it myself. What happened to Goldilocks?’

He glanced up. ‘Charlie? She’s still around.’

‘Does she know you’ve been sending presents to other women?’

‘Probably.’

‘And she accepts it?’

He shrugged. ‘Me and Charlie have frank discussions about these things.’

‘This is bollocks. I want to know what you’re up to and I want it to stop.’

‘What I’m up to is showing affection to one of the most important women in my life. Come your birthday, maybe you’ll get a card and kisses too.’

In your dreams, pal, she told herself, but his attitude was deeply disconcerting.

‘Whatever the truth is,’ Lucy said, ‘you’re out of line pulling stunts like this!’

McCracken looked disappointed. ‘Sorry you think so.’

It was the first time she’d ever seen him vague or distracted. Could it actually be that he’d acted this way towards her mother from some minor but genuine affection, which perhaps was confusing even to him?

‘Can I at least get a promise that you won’t do it again?’ Lucy said.

‘No, you can’t.’

‘For Christ’s sake! Look, I came here intending to tell you not just to back off, but to call her up and let her know there’s been a misunderstanding. To tell her that it’s best if you guys keep going your separate ways. Now all I want is that you don’t send her any more presents. Surely that’s not too much to ask?’

But it was as though he hadn’t been listening. ‘Does your mother want this reconciliation she thinks I’m looking for?’

‘Of course she doesn’t!’

‘You sure, Lucy? You speaking for Cora now, or just yourself?’

‘Look, I’ve asked you nicely. But I’ll play hardball if I have to.’

McCracken looked amused. ‘Really?’

‘I’ve been toying with this idea anyway. Next time I’m in the office, I might just go and see my DI … and tell him exactly what my and your relationship is.’

‘What … just like that?’

‘I’ll tell him I only found out recently. That I didn’t believe it at first, but that once it was obviously kosher, I decided to come clean. And I’ll take whatever shitstorm results from it.’

McCracken appraised her, perhaps wondering whether she was deadly serious or simply a good actress. ‘You sure you want to do that, Lucy? You’re a hero at the moment. Why throw it away?’