‘Your restaurant?’ There was just the hint of a smirk. Perhaps it was the fact that he was casually dressed in a short-sleeved white shirt, jeans and high-top trainers that fuelled her scepticism. He had always tried to make mental space to understand the narrow exposure that most cops had to people of his ethnicity. Too many white police officers never met black or Asian guys except on the wrong side of a charge sheet. Their idea of society was colour-coded: law-abiding whites, dodgy Asians and crooked black guys. He’d considered inviting all the local cops to his restaurant for a free buffet to meet all his friends, all young, all intelligent, mostly professional, with skin colours between ebony and latte. But he knew it would take weekly meals for several years to erode the ingrained stereotypes and he had neither the time nor the money to make it happen.

‘Yes, I am the proprietor of J’adore Ça.’ He produced a business card. She took it, then asked him to repeat the phone number printed on it. He did so, while wondering how many white guys would be tested over the authenticity of a business card.

‘Can I ask you, sir, about where you went after that?’ Her tone was now just marginally more courteous.

‘I drove with my girlfriend Leticia down to the river.’

She nodded. ‘Are you aware that a man was found dead in the Thames, not very far away?’

‘Really? I’m sorry, I work very long hours and the news passes me by.’

‘I’m afraid we’re going to have to ask you to come to the station for an interview,’ she said. ‘It shouldn’t take that long.’

He blew a sigh. ‘Come on, can’t I make an appointment to do it later?’

‘I’m sorry for the inconvenience.’ Now, she genuinely did seem apologetic.

Anton shrugged and smiled. It was the default setting for his face. He had smiled his way through a lot of adversity in his short life, and this shouldn’t be the worst. ‘Okay. I have to make a couple of calls first.’

Less than ten miles away, in the probation service office at Swan House in Staines, Leticia Mountjoy was in the ladies’ toilet when she took Anton’s call. He sounded unusually anxious ‘What is it?’

‘I’m on my way to Staines police station.’

‘Why? What happened?’

‘A dead body’s been found in the Thames. Somehow they seem to know where we were parked. I’m sure it’s just the usual shit. Makes me sick. It’s putting me behind on the refurb too.’

‘I’d offer to help, but we’ve got a really big case management meeting in a minute.’

‘Don’t worry, babe. I’m sure it’s just a formality. If we’ve been seen, I’ll mention that you were in the car. But please don’t say anything about Leroy being there.’

‘But Anton…’