‘I need you to be honest with me,’ said Agatha. ‘Why did you believe there was danger?’

Madison shrugged again.

‘Even if you don’t think it’s important, Madison, you need to tell me.’

‘Alright!’ Madison looked away. ‘Because of who I thought she was seeing. Okay?’

‘You knew she was meeting Miss Ellis?’

‘No.’ Madison’s cheeks went red. ‘If I’d known that, I would never have . . . She was dating a boy, and before that she had asked me . . .’

‘What did she ask you, Madison?’

‘She asked if I wanted to join them.’ The tears returned in a sudden rush.

Nelly started. She turned to Madison, pulling her close. ‘Shh, baby . . . shhh . . .’

‘She told me she was seeing someone,’ Madison’s voice was hoarse and trembling, ‘and that both of them really wanted to try a threesome, because we were twins and he was really into that. I said no – of course I said no, it’s disgusting. The boy she was dating is an absolute slut. His name is Tyler Cabot. You should question him. He was at school all day, but I just . . . I thought maybe Tyler was hurting her, but then I walked in and it was Miss Ellis. And then the whole twin thing made sense!’

Madison became hysterical, shaking her hands in front of her as though trying to fan her face. Nelly pulled her head closer.

Con was certain Madison’s tears were real. For the first time, she had lost control of a situation. That meant she truly did think Eliza was the one in Cierra’s room.

‘It’s alright,’ said the commander absently. ‘It’s okay . . .’

An hour later, Con and Agatha stood outside the interview room, Agatha with a manila folder in her hand.

‘Why does this feel wrong?’ he muttered.

‘You’ve never had a problem with bending the rules before,’ said Agatha.

Con was silent a moment. He’d already told her about Doble, and she hadn’t been surprised in the least. It still rankled him, more so now he saw that what he was about to do could, probably, be construed as something akin to entrapment. I’m nothing like Doble. ‘Why didn’t you ever tell me there was this kind of corruption around?’

‘Because sometimes, Cornelius, you only see the good in people, and sometimes that’s what makes the best detectives – and I sorely need good detectives. Now stop fidgeting.’

‘I never fidget,’ he said, affronted.

She opened the door and the two of them walked inside.

Eliza Ellis was already waiting – alone, without her lawyer, whom she’d not requested to attend. She’d been kept in remand all night and was now dressed in the clothing her sister had brought in for her. Across the metal table she appeared weak, pale.

Con and Agatha watched Eliza for several minutes. She kept shivering occasionally, but her back was straight.