‘It’s pretty obvious he’s been driven by rage his entire life,’ Fleet said. ‘I’m not just talking about his time at Beaconsfield, or even the way he acted after he left school. Because it didn’t stop when his father died. If anything, his father’s death only spurred him on, probably because for Richardson it would have felt like his father had won. That he’d died without ever having to pay for what he’d done.’

‘So Richardson reinvented himself, and turned against the rest of the world instead. The establishment, in particular.’

‘Right,’ said Fleet. ‘Whatever that means. Although I doubt Richardson’s any clearer in his mind than I am. For him, anyone with power is the enemy. The police, politicians, you name it. The man’s never done anything constructive in his life. For him, it’s all about tearing things down.’

‘Can you imagine what he would have been like as prime minister?’ Nicky said. ‘Then again, maybe it’s not so hard to picture. A narcissistic former TV star given the keys to a nuclear silo … It’s not like it hasn’t happened before.’ She looked at Fleet anxiously. ‘There’s no way that’s actually going to happen, is there? I take it Richardson’s under arrest?’

‘For the time being,’ Fleet said. ‘But I have my doubts any charges will stick.’

‘You’ve got to be kidding me,’ said Nicky. ‘He admitted he tried to kill Ben! I realise the cameras didn’t pick up every word, but they caught enough.’

‘He had a knife to his throat,’ Fleet countered. ‘He wouldn’t even need a solicitor to help him wriggle out of that one. And there’s no actual proof of what went on – not any more. And without Melissa or Lance to give their side of the story …’

Nicky shook her head in disbelief. ‘Why is it that people like Richardson always seem to wriggle away scot-free? They use people like Ben – people like Lance and Melissa, too, who were probably just as vulnerable in their own way as Ben was – and then toss them aside like pieces of rubbish. I bet, in spite of everything that’s happened, Richardson doesn’t feel an ounce of regret.’

‘Oh, I don’t know about that. Maybe he won’t be sorry for any of the hurt he caused, but I’m sure he’ll be feeling plenty sorry for himself. His career’s over. His political ambitions are, too. Millions of people watched him being accused of murder, and then saw him force a man to his death. Maybe, when it comes to Zack, self-defence will hold up in court, but not when it comes to public opinion. Richardson’s finished and he knows it.’