The forensics team left two hours later. They’d done what they could to take fingerprints from door frames and other surfaces, and shoe prints from the floors. Jason had helped Dani search through the apartment. Again. Nothing seemed to be missing. Nothing had been moved, even. There was no sign of forced entry. Had the person who’d written the note really been inside?

Dani was still feeling terrified as she and Jason sat down at the small dining table and began to eat a takeaway that Jason had ordered.

‘I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the first note,’ he said, shaking his head.

Dani didn’t respond.

‘You don’t always have to tackle your problems alone.’

Dani rolled her eyes. Typical of Jason to try and steer the conversation back there.

‘The note suggests he was watching you,’ Jason said.

‘I mean, the curtains were open. But…’

‘But he could have been in your apartment.’

‘I just don’t know.’

‘Dani, what is going on here?’

‘What do you think?’

‘I think you’ve got someone sending you threatening notes. Regardless of whether it’s someone with an axe to grind or someone who’s actually dangerous, we still need to find out who it is so, if nothing else, we can stop them hassling you.’

‘You messaged earlier to say we needed to talk,’ Dani said.

Jason shifted in his seat and looked at her. ‘You know I’m not supposed to talk to you about the case.’ His tone wasn’t particularly strong.

‘Then why was it so important for you to speak to me?’

‘Because of… you know. Because of you being suspended. And because of what happened to Harland. I wanted to make sure you were ok.’

‘Yeah, well, I’m not ok. You’ve seen that for yourself. So was that it?’

‘No, actually,’ Jason said, more tersely. ‘I wanted to see you. Because I give a shit. Is that ok with you?’

Dani said nothing.

‘But,’ Jason continued, ‘what I said was that I’m not supposed to talk to you about the case. The way I see it, though, you have a right to know. It clearly affects you after all.’

Dani felt herself relax a little more, and the small grin on Jason’s face suggested he knew he’d won her over for now.

‘Well go on then,’ Dani said.

‘It seems, Detective Inspector, that perhaps you did the world a great big favour with Dean Harland.’

‘I did the world a big favour?’ Dani said, her face contorting. ‘What the fuck does that mean? I didn’t do anything to him!’

Jason flushed, obviously realising his choice of words had been poor.

‘Sorry, Dani, that’s not what I meant. Of course it wasn’t your fault, what happened to him. What I meant was that it looks like it may well have been him.’

‘Who killed Reeve and Natalya?’

‘Yeah.’