‘This is your five-minute call, ladies and gentlemen. Five minutes to curtain.’

‘Can you go now? I really do need to get ready.’

There was nothing more to be said and we did as she asked. I felt a little sorry for Sky as we left the room. I’ve met a few young people with famous parents and it’s often the case that the problems outweigh the privileges.

We went out through the fire escape that led into Lumley Court. The door opened with a push-bar mechanism and didn’t set off any alarms. We hadn’t signed in when we arrived, so there was no need to go back past the stage-door manager’s office. As soon as we were outside, I turned on Hawthorne. ‘I’ve got to explain to you about that magazine—’ I began.

Hawthorne shook his head. ‘You should have told me earlier, Tony.’

‘I’d forgotten all about it. It must have happened during the rehearsals in Dalston. There were loads of things on my mind. Maybe someone passed me a magazine and I passed it to her, but I didn’t look inside. I didn’t even look at the cover.’ I realised I was burbling. ‘I had no idea where Harriet lived until Cara told me,’ I concluded, feebly.

‘I believe you, mate.’ Hawthorne considered. ‘It might not be so easy to persuade them in court, but maybe the jury will take pity on you. I mean, you’ve certainly stacked up the evidence against yourself.’

We walked on in silence, making our way back to the Strand. The front of the theatre was deserted now, but it was exactly seven thirty and the first act would have begun. I glanced inside and saw the box-office manager, sitting on his own. He didn’t look happy.

‘Hawthorne …’ I’d had a thought while I was in the dressing room and I expressed it now. ‘Sky Palmer was in Macbeth.’

‘I heard.’

‘But you must realise what it means! She must have been given one of the original daggers. Ahmet had a whole lot made for the cast in Edinburgh.’ I thought back to what she had said. ‘And Ewan Lloyd directed it. So he must have a second dagger too.’

‘I’d sort of figured that one out, Tony. The trouble is, it doesn’t really help us.’

‘Why not?’

‘Your producer could have had another dozen knives made. Friends, sponsors, costume designer, front-of-house manager and so on. But you’ve lost yours. And the one that killed Harriet Throsby had your fingerprints on it.’

I felt deflated. ‘That’s true.’

Hawthorne looked at his watch. ‘Ahmet’s waiting for us in his office. I said we’d call in tonight.’

‘Can’t it wait until tomorrow?’ I was exhausted. I’d had no sleep the night before, I’d spent half the day in jail and we’d visited one suspect after another, including – in the past hour – the entire cast of Mindgame.

‘It’s up to you, mate. But the clock’s still ticking. The DNA results could come in any time. And if you want to head back to Tolpuddle Street …’