‘She did just that. She left. Her father had seriously deteriorated by then and, as I understand it, she had no choice but to put him in a nursing home. She was fortunate. She managed to find him one that specialised in dementia care not too far from where he used to live in Dronfield. I had hoped that would mean she’d resume her former duties in the department, but by then her relationship with Stuart had deteriorated so badly she told me she couldn’t work with him any longer. And Stuart made it very clear he wasn’t going anywhere until it suited him. So she left, to plough her own furrow.’

‘Why the hell didn’t you tell me? That’s what I want to know.’ David was yelling so loudly Clare was having to hold her phone away from her ear.

Clare whispered, ‘What, about Marshall?’

‘Speak up, Clare, I can hardly hear you!’

‘That’s because I had to come out into the corridor to get a decent signal, and I’m trying not to wake every other person in the place. Do you know what time it is?’

He said, ‘About two-thirty.’

‘That’s right, David, two-thirty – in the morning. When normal people are sleeping.’ Trying to shout in a whisper wasn’t easy. ‘What on earth are you ringing me for at this time of night?’

‘I couldn’t ring you before, I’ve just got out.’

What the hell was he talking about?

‘Out of where?’

David said, ‘The police station.’

‘The police station!’

There was a thump on the wall next to her and a muffled voice yelled from one of the bedrooms, ‘Will you keep it down!’

She reverted to whisper mode, ‘Hang on a minute, David!’

She padded along the corridor to the stairwell, descended a few steps and, pulling her dressing gown tightly around her, sat down. ‘OK, that’s a bit better. What the hell are you doing in a police station?’

‘I’m not in one any more, and anyway, that’s not important.’

A sudden thought struck her. ‘Are you with Sally?’

‘No.’ He sounded puzzled. ‘Why on earth would I be with Sally?’

Had he been drinking? He didn’t sound like he’d been drinking.

‘Well, one: she’s your girlfriend. And two: she’s in the police force.’ Clare paused. Had he had an accident? Maybe he was in shock. ‘Are you alright, David?’

He was yelling again now. ‘Of course I’m bloody alright. It’s you I’m worried about.’

‘Look, David, none of this is making any sense. Will you please just tell me why you called me? I’d like to get some sleep tonight.’

‘Why didn’t you tell me Marshall had threatened you?’