Lie that the rest of the police knew everything, and even now were circling the neighbourhood, mustering their forces – and that might convince them that it was better to keep her alive. Though it might also mean that they’d adopt a scorched-earth policy, destroying all evidence, warning their contacts in the Crew that they’d been rumbled. A better option perhaps was to play things down. If they didn’t know anything about the connection she’d made between the van and the strangled dogs and the double murder on the Aggies, they might stay here and try to brazen it out. They’d still have to do away with Lucy – they wouldn’t be able to argue their way out of having abducted a copper – but there were ways to allay that too.

‘I’m investigating an assault on a homeless person,’ she said.

‘Indeed?’ If this was something Torgau had been hoping to hear, he didn’t sound a whole lot happier.

‘I came across the incident by accident, while working undercover to buy drugs in the St Clement’s ward.’ That sounded plausible, she thought. ‘I overheard the sound of the attack and intervened. I pursued the assailant on my motorbike, but she got away.’

‘You knew already that it was a she?’ Torgau sounded less than satisfied, but not necessarily with Lucy.

‘I saw that it was a she,’ she replied. ‘I saw her face during the attack. And this was confirmed later on by forensic examination of organic material found under the fingernail of the victim.’

‘That’s impossible!’ Ivana snapped, stepping forward with the brightly glowing poker.

Torgau warned her off with a raised hand.

‘It was your sister,’ Lucy said to her. ‘Alyssa.’

‘Alyssa would’ve known if she’d been clawed,’ Ivana said.

‘I sometimes wonder if Alyssa even knows what day it is,’ Torgau rumbled.

‘Alyssa already had facial injuries when the victim struck her in the face,’ Lucy said, wondering why she was making excuses for the girl. ‘It’s probably no surprise that she didn’t realise blood had been drawn.’

He still looked unimpressed.

‘After that, the DNA brought me here,’ Lucy added. ‘Alyssa has a criminal record, after all. I asked around the neighbourhood, to be sure, and two or three different people were able to direct me to your house. If it’s any consolation, Mr Torgau, they think you’re all very nice people who wouldn’t say boo to a goose.’

I’m sure it’ll be no consolation, though, to now think that several different witnesses can place me right here, she added to herself. So checkmate, you bastard!

Before Torgau could reply, there was a scuttling of feet overhead, as if Alyssa was running from one side of the house to the other.

Ivana went rigid. Her father leaped to his feet.

‘Assault team, coming in by twos!’ Alyssa yelled down the stairs. ‘Front and back!’