Li looked at the body of his uncle, lifeless eyes staring unseeingly at the ceiling, and then back at Wu. “You think I did this?” His breathing was rapid now, and he felt in danger of losing control. He was holding on to reality by the merest thread. When was he going to wake up?

Wu looked embarrassed. “To be honest, Li Yan, I don’t believe for one minute that you did it. Any of it. None of us do. But we have evidence, and there are procedures to be gone through.”

“What evidence?” His anger almost choked him. He was paralysed now, rooted to the spot.

Wu snapped his fingers in the direction of a forensics officer and was handed a plastic evidence bag containing Li’s fob watch, its leather pouch dark with the staining of blood. “It was found in Lily’s apartment beside her body.”

Li looked at it like a man possessed. “That was stolen from my desk this morning. When we were all in the meeting room, and Johnny Ren was in my office.”

“We only have your word for it that it was Johnny Ren. We all just saw some guy. No one else recognised him. And why would he kill Lily?”

Li already knew the answer to that one. She had been witness to Margaret’s request for the blood tests. “Why would I kill Lily?” He couldn’t believe he was having to ask the question.

“She snitched to Public Security about the American pathologist spending the night at your apartment.” Wu shrugged uneasily. “It’s what they’ll say.”

Li would have laughed if it hadn’t all been so grotesque. “So I killed her? Is that it? Because she got me in trouble with my boss?”

Wu held out his hand and was passed another clear plastic bag. It contained a bloody handkerchief. “You can see Lily’s name embroidered on the corner. I reckon we’ll find it’s her blood on it. It was found in your bedroom.” And he held his hand up quickly to stop Li’s protests. “And before you say anything more, I’m as uncomfortable with all of this as you are. But I’m still going to have to take you in.”

“Let me see the arrest warrant.”

“What?” Wu was taken aback.

Li held out his hand. “Just show me the warrant.”

Wu sighed and took it from his pocket. Li unfolded it and looked for the signature. “Deputy Procurator General Zeng.” He looked at Wu and waved the warrant at him. “He’s your man. He’s setting me up.”