Except he doesn’t. No words come, locked in by shock. But he manages to toss the cigarette at a figure as it rushes towards him. It bounces off the attacker in a mini firework display. He sees the clear shapes of three men in black, one holding what he thinks is a crowbar. The one standing by Josie’s bedroom window.

Nick’s phone is still in his hand, fresh from his good news call to a pal, and he lifts it, ready to call the police. But the approaching shape hasn’t ceased moving.

He doesn’t remember the blow, but a strike certainly occurred because in the next moment he’s on the wet ground and his head is throbbing. He’s staring up at the patio door, at rain pelting towards him. At a black figure standing over him, towering high, seemingly deep into the black sky.

Josie.

The figure bends, something in its hand, aiming at his face. He turns his head away, wanting to save his eyes, and feels the sharp jab in his neck. A knife for sure. The black of the world deepens, but just before it becomes absolute his eyes see another figure. At Josie’s window, seemingly just waiting there.

The window opens from the inside, a black-clad arm attached to the handle.

‘Did you recognise any of the men?’

‘Masked. They were masked. Balaclavas maybe.’ He put his face in his hands, made a moan as his tense fingers gouged into his stitched head wound, and then slapped the bed. ‘Early bloody Christmas for them. I opened the door. Let them just walk right in.’

No sympathy in the faces watching him. From the DS: ‘The man at Josie’s window. Are you saying they passed Josie out through her window, even though the patio door was open?’

Nick’s head still swam. He said nothing.

The DCI said, ‘Nick, my friend, any chance one of those men was actually a woman?’

Anna looked at her, puzzled.

He wanted to ask why, but the line Who the hell are you? continued to bounce around in his brain. But neither was what found its way out of his mouth.

‘This is down to her dad.’

The detectives glanced at Anna. She was at the back of the room and he looked at her and wanted to apologise for what he’d just said. But that didn’t come out of his mouth, either.

‘I checked up my arse earlier and I don’t have a stash of money up there.’