‘One with no motive. He’s a suspect because he’s Muslim.’

‘We don’t know that. The French may have something on him that they’re not letting on. For now, every lead is important, and you have to face the possibility that Violette was the target.’

She closed her eyes for a moment, as if that were too much to bear. ‘Etienne’s mother has very strong ties to a number of Algerian families here and in Le Havre. They looked after Etienne and Violette when I was arrested. So to point a finger at a member of the community, with so little evidence, is an insult to them.’

‘Another reason we need to speak to Violette. Find out what she argued with Khateb about.’

‘Well, she hasn’t made contact with any adult but you,’ Noor said.

‘She’s sent you letters.’

‘I want to hear her voice!’ she cried. ‘I spoke to her every day until three weeks ago, and something’s happened to distance her from me. All she had to do was give you a number I could contact her on and she didn’t.’

Cruel teenage children were cruel teenage children regardless of who their parents were. Slowly he sat up, positioning his back against the wall, and he took a chance.

‘She isn’t contacting you because she had sex with Charlie Crombie.’

‘She told you that?’

He couldn’t quite lie. Shrugged reluctantly. ‘She thinks you’re disappointed.’

‘I am disappointed. Violette knows how I feel about smart girls turning into needy sex objects for dumb boys.’

‘Maybe she’s too smart to be serious about him,’ he tried.

Noor retrieved a photo from her pocket. The one of Bee, Violette and Eddie. She pointed to a corner and Bish saw something he had missed before. ‘She’s serious about this person,’ Noor said. ‘It can only be Crombie.’

One of Violette’s fingers was entwined with another finger, its owner out of frame. It was a tiny detail that spoke of a great intimacy. Not a fumble of adolescent groping, just two fingers linked.

‘How can you be so sure?’ he asked.

‘Because Violette’s never had a boyfriend, so what are the chances that within seven days she’s going to have sex with one boy and hold hands with another?’

‘How do you know she’s never had a boyfriend? They do lie, you know.’

Noor sent him a look that said she knew what she was talking about.

Bish thought back to the interview that day with Braithwaite and Post. After a bomb and carnage and being locked in a cupboard and threatened, it was mention of Charlie Crombie kissing the girl from Worthing that had made Violette weep.

He tried to lighten the mood. ‘Anything else, Sherlock?’ he asked.

She pointed to his daughter. Bee was staring into the lens, looking luminous.

‘What is it?’ he asked.

‘Can’t you see? She’s in love with whoever’s taking the photograph.’

Bish heard the buzz of the door and Gray was there.

‘The acting governor wants you back in your cell,’ he ordered Noor, before turning his attention to Bish. ‘And Mummy with the BBC voice is downstairs waiting for you,’ he mocked. ‘We’re just getting you a wheelchair.’