The desk sergeant’s a charmer. No doubt about it. He scans a list with his finger, lips pursed, eyebrows furrowed like he’s pondering a difficult question.

‘Yup, there you are,’ he says finally, pointing out my name, then sliding his finger across to the next column, which is coloured red. All done with an air of supreme satisfaction. ‘Permission revoked. See?’

‘That’s not why I’m here.’

‘No?’

‘No. I’m here to report a crime.’

He dips his head and looks at me over the rim of his glasses, his eyebrows riding high.

‘Well, at least you left the mutt at home today.’

The rush is like a raging torrent. I grab the clipboard from him, toss it away and grab the guy’s shirt front, hauling him forward. His eyes shrink down with fear, his mouth open but no words coming out. My right fist is up in the air ready to strike. On the way down a hand grabs my wrist and just stops me making contact.

‘Steady on, sir,’ Jansen says.

‘You all right?’

Canteen, drink in front of me. I breathe out. The rage vanished as quickly as it came. Now I just feel like crying. Jesus.

‘I’ll be fine,’ I say, hoping that’s the truth. ‘Good catch.’

‘I was kind of torn to be honest. You’re not the first to feel the guy could use a bit of a slap.’

Once I’ve convinced Jansen I’m not going to try and hit anyone else I go off in search of Roemers. I find him at his desk, signature audiophile headphones on, colossal over-ear pieces which look pretty ridiculous, and so he doesn’t hear me as I walk up behind him and tap the back of his neck.

‘Fuck –’

I hold out the USB with the footage on and explain what I’m after.

‘Yeah, well. First off, I’m going to have to recover from the heart attack you just gave me, then I’ve got some other things I’m working on for various real police officers so I’ll get round to it when I’m ready. In an hour or three. When I can be arsed.’

‘Okay, I’m sorry. But if I was to tell you my houseboat burned down last night and there’s video of the man that did it?’

‘Really? That’s rough. What happened?’

‘Like I said, someone set it on fire. The man you’ll see on there. Killed my dog as well.’

He swivels round in his chair, his face hardening fast. ‘You’re fucking with me?’

‘Do I look like I am?’

He takes me in for a moment. Chews his lip, nods a few times.

‘Fuck man, a dog … I’m on it now.’