‘We’re only doing our job, love,’ he told her steadily. ‘We have had information relating to a series of crimes we believe your husband was involved in. We have to follow it up.’

Donna looked into the man’s face and said through clenched teeth, ‘Well, I hope you can prove it, because I have never even had so much as a parking ticket. This is my home, I own it lock, stock and barrel, and I know my rights. I’ll haul your arses into court over this, boy, for harassment, whatever. But I’ll see that you pay for this day’s work. If it’s the last thing I ever do, I will make you smirk on the other side of your face. My husband is doing eighteen years - isn’t that enough for you, Mr Laughton? What have we ever done to you, eh? What is all this really about?’

Laughton couldn’t look her in the face. Instead he walked to her dressing table and pushed her underwear back into the drawers.

‘Your husband is a violent criminal, whether you like to admit to that or not, love. He was tried by a jury and put away in accordance with the laws of this land. We have gained information, as I said earlier, that your husband, Georgio Brunos, was involved in other activities. A man who was arrested on charges of manslaughter and robbery has put your husband’s name forward, and we are honour bound to check out the accusations he made.’

Donna clenched her fists and said to Laughton, ‘So you think I have money hidden under the floorboards, do you?’

He laughed. ‘Not you, love. Maybe your husband hid something there. It has been known before.’

‘You turned this house upside down after you arrested him the first time. If anything is there now, Mr Laughton, you must think that I put it there. Surely that follows, doesn’t it. So are you accusing me of anything today?’

Laughton sighed heavily and looked around him at the younger policemen. His look said Donna was a foolish woman and this was not lost on her. Turning, she stormed from the room. At the bottom of the stairs the policewoman was standing with her arms folded. Donna ignored her and slipped past into the kitchen.

This room was also a shambles. Dolly sat at the kitchen table, her face a tight mask of anger.

‘Bloody real, ain’t it, eh? Have you seen what they’ve done to his office? Like a shithouse it is. I hope to Christ they’re going to clear up behind them.’

As she spoke the phone rang and Donna picked it up, pushing another police officer out of her way as she did so and glaring at him until he walked away from her.

‘Hello?’ She smiled and held out the phone. ‘Tell Mr Laughton it’s his superior on the phone, would you?’