He was particularly interested in my identification of Lesley – was I sure about her face or was I unconsciously picking up cues from her voice or body language.

‘It was definitely her face,’ I said. But smoother, paler, unblemished and disturbingly like the skin of the Faerie Queen – when she was on this side of the border.

Because I’d graduated to ‘briefings’ rather than ‘interviews’, DI Pollock actually fed some information my way – almost as if we were colleagues.

‘We can’t find evidence of her entering or leaving the store,’ said Pollock. ‘Security there is tight and the CCTV coverage is extensive, it covers all points of entry both public and staff – we’ve done a preliminary check and she’s not there.’

Pollock wanted to know whether someone could magic themselves invisible or teleport themselves from one place another. He even asked if there were ‘roads through other realms’ that a practitioner could walk, the better to pass unseen. Which shocked me because I didn’t have DI Pollock pegged as a romantic. I swear he was going to ask about hyperspace next, but I made it clear that as far as I knew practitioners couldn’t teleport or walk faerie roads. As for invisible, I thought of the unicorns I’d met in Herefordshire. Still, I didn’t think it was feasible, at least not without shutting down the CCTV cameras as a side effect.

I asked if I could review the footage myself and he said he’d see what he could do.

‘How did it make you feel?’ asked DI Pollock.

‘How did what make me feel, sir?’

‘Seeing Lesley again?’

Shock and anger and betrayal and vain hope that she’d changed her mind and anger at myself for having that hope.

‘I was surprised, sir,’ I said. ‘I thought she’d know better.’

They let me out midafternoon and I was hoping for a fry-up, but Nightingale and Stephanopoulos intercepted me and guided me into the ABE suite where Lady Helena Linden-Limmer had been stashed.

‘Guleed will interview the daughter and you can use your charms on the mother,’ said Stephanopoulos.

I looked to Nightingale, who just nodded in agreement.

I did manage to grab an emergency sandwich, which I stuffed down during my truncated pre-interview strategy meeting with Guleed, Stephanopoulos and Nightingale. Basically our plan was to see how both of them reacted to an initial set of questions, then stop for a break and then base further sessions on their responses. These were also going to be what Stephanopoulos called ‘Falcon interviews’ – ones where we would decide after the fact if they officially took place or not.

Guleed passed me the completed IIP on Caroline Linden-Limmer and pointed out a note which registered that she’d been granted a Gender Recognition Certificate when she was eighteen – changing her legal gender from male to female.

‘So . . .’ I started, but was cut off by the vast silence emanating from Stephanopoulos behind us.