Movement in the trees caught Harri’s attention, and she looked to her right and saw Elliot Asha crouched by the trunk of an ancient oak. His fingers were curled around calloused bark, and in the moonlight his face was as grey as a ghost. His eyes were on the fight, but when he sensed Harri watching him, his gaze shifted and met hers. He seemed sad beyond reckoning, and Harri couldn’t hold his stare. She looked back at the two men scrabbling in the dirt.

Sabih slapped Ben and managed to get on top of him. He drove a flurry of punches into Ben’s face, and Harri was taken aback by the ferocity of the blows and the look of furious determination on Sabih’s face.

‘You stay down, you lunatic!’ he yelled. ‘You don’t hurt people. You don’t do that!’

She’d seen Sabih take on suspects before, but this was different. He wasn’t an angry person, and it took a lot to tap into his rage, but there it was. She had little doubt now he was picturing Alan Munro as he fought Ben, but a few more of those punches would probably kill the man.

‘Sabih!’ Harri shouted. ‘Stop!’

He hesitated and glanced at Harri. His expression shifted and his fury subsided. He pushed himself up and stepped away from Ben, bewildered as though suddenly waking from a nightmare.

Extract from the court report of R v. Elmys

ROGER SUMPTION QC for the Crown Prosecution Service

And then what happened, Ms Kealty? After DS Khan stood up.

HARRIET KEALTY

He stepped back . . . and . . .

ROGER SUMPTION QC

There’s no need to look at the defendant, Ms Kealty. Please don’t feel in any way intimidated by him.

HARRIET KEALTY

I’m not. It’s . . . it’s just difficult for me.

ROGER SUMPTION QC

I understand, but the court needs to hear your account of events.

HARRIET KEALTY

Sabih—DS Khan got up. He took a step back, and the defendant, Mr Elmys, kicked him in the stomach. What neither DS Khan or I knew, but what the defendant probably did know, was that the clearing was at the edge of a ravine. DS Khan, Sabih, he . . .

ROGER SUMPTION QC

Go on when you’re ready, Ms Kealty.

HARRIET KEALTY

He fell off the edge. One moment he was there, and then he was gone. He was just gone.

ROGER SUMPTION QC

There’s some water beside you if you need a drink. Better? What happened then?

HARRIET KEALTY

I ran to the edge of the ravine. It must have been eighty feet straight down, and I could see DS Khan in the moonlight. He wasn’t moving. I was crying. I was angry. Probably in shock. I turned to the defendant, who was on his feet, and I said, ‘You did this. You did this.’ And he said, ‘I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’d take it back if I could. I’m so sorry.’

I heard a helicopter and sirens and he heard them too. He started backing away, so I said, ‘No! Don’t you dare go. Help me find a way down to him. Don’t you dare leave me here alone.’