McNab listened while Jimmy retold the tale of the top flat in which the words ‘sexual shenanigans’ weren’t uttered. After that Cleverly seemed to have had enough and so, too, did Jimmy.

At that moment Lucifer arrived to claw at the window, his eyes staring malevolently in at them.

‘I told you he’d be back soon,’ Jimmy said, sounding relieved to get backup.

On entry, Lucifer took a moment to study both detectives before focusing all his spitting hate and arched back at Cleverly.

‘I’m very sorry, Inspector. Lucifer’s my guard dog. He knows when I’m upset about something.’ He scooped up the cat and tried to placate him. It worked with the spitting, but didn’t put an end to the malicious look.

‘Thank you for your help, Mr Donaldson,’ Cleverly said, making for the door. ‘We can let ourselves out.’

McNab lingered to say goodbye, now that he knew Lucifer’s wrath was not directed at him.

‘Thanks, Jimmy.’

‘I’m sorry I never mentioned the figure at the door, Sergeant. I wasn’t even sure I saw it. What with the wind and rain that night and my eyes on the lassie and the ball of fire. If I remember anything else . . .’

‘Just give me a call,’ McNab said, patting him on the shoulder.

‘An unreliable witness,’ Cleverly said as McNab unlocked the car. ‘There’s no way from his statement we get to know that it wasn’t a suicide.’

‘A young woman is bound to a bed, someone had sex with her, according to the swab taken at post-mortem, the bed is doused with petrol, then she gets free and runs outside to set herself alight? Does that sound the right finale to you?’

Cleverly’s mobile rang as they departed Govan. He listened to some instructions, gave monosyllabic replies and rang off.

‘Change of plan. I’m staying here overnight and flying down first thing tomorrow.’

‘Why?’ McNab said.

Cleverly threw him a look. ‘So that we can get to chat more, Sergeant. And to that end I suggest we ditch the car and go get a drink. It’s knock-off time anyway.’

‘So you’re all nine-to-five in the metropolis?’

‘Or five at night to nine in the morning,’ Cleverly said.

McNab was about to say he had other plans, then thought what the hell, maybe he could get a better take on why the Met were so interested in Glasgow’s burn victim.

‘So where are you taking me?’ Cleverly said.

McNab had already dismissed the jazz club, even though he’d planned to go there to meet with Rhona and hear more about Go Wild and her ghost ship crime scene. Instead, he proposed a place in the centre of town, where he and Ellie had been a few times.

‘We can eat there too,’ he said. ‘If you’re hungry, that is?’