She got to the door and pressed the entrance code rapidly into the keypad. The door buzzed and she went in, slamming it behind her and breathing heavily. She prayed that the journo had spotted her unexpectedly and hadn’t got her recording equipment ready in time. Oh Jesus. She’d just done, on the final day of the trial, what the legal team had forbidden her to do for two whole months.

‘Are you all right?’ Ted asked, coming towards her.

‘I just told a journalist to fuck off,’ she said.

Ted sighed. ‘Well, it was only a matter of time.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’

They walked together to the stairwell leading to the courthouse and he held the doors open for her.

‘Is he here?’ she asked as they approached the lift.

Ted nodded. ‘I saw him earlier when I went to get coffee.’

‘Fuck.’

He faced her and put his hands on her shoulders. ‘Look. Sometimes the truth isn’t what people want to hear in this world, Kelly. That’s all you do and you do it well. Don’t let anyone else’s agenda sway you. Johnny made his own decisions, and so did Ian Burton. He’s guilty as hell, that’s a given. The verdict and sentencing will reflect it, mark my words. This will all die down and you can get on with your job. You’re a fine detective, Kelly. And I don’t want to work with anyone else.’

He smiled at her and gave her a cuddle, which she so desperately needed.

‘You know when I saw your mother at Wasdale Hall, over forty years ago, she looked radiant. In her green dress, she looked as though she could do anything, talk to anyone, and achieve anything. She was a fighter, Kelly, and so are you. Come on.’

Upstairs, the waiting area outside the courtroom was rammed with people, and Kelly thought she might turn and run. Ted squeezed her hand.

Then she saw him.

She’d faced him on plenty of occasions when he collected Lizzie, or she dropped Josie off at her dad’s to spend the night. But not like this. Not as enemies, on opposite sides of the judicial system. It was as if an ocean was between them, not just some cheap plastic chairs and a coffee machine. He smiled at her and waved, as if nothing was out of the ordinary. Before she knew it, Ted had waved back and Johnny was making his way over. Kelly turned away. Her heart raced and her cheeks burned. Thank God no photos were allowed inside the courthouse.

‘Morning, how’s Lizzie today?’ he asked.

Kelly couldn’t answer. He wore a suit, and a tie, with a crisp white shirt, and was about as at home in it as a fish out of water. She moved her mouth but nothing came out. Ted did it for her.

‘She’s great.’ Ted and Johnny shook hands.