‘I don’t feel confident to say; it’s possible she’s got confused, that it was a nasty attack. I say for now we give her the benefit of the doubt. I don’t like to think anyone would falsely report a rape. The amount of damage it does is unbelievable. Not just to the accused but to the whole system. So, for now we work on the assumption that she’s confused. But that’s between you and me.’

‘Thank you,’ Adrian said.

‘What for?’

‘For not doubting me.’

‘I’d like to think I know you well enough to know you weren’t capable of something like that.’ She paused. ‘What was the name of the pub you went to last night?’

‘I went up to The Imperial.’

‘You went to the biggest pub in town?’

‘Someone might remember me,’ Adrian said.

‘Well, let’s hope so. Did you go into her house?’ Imogen said, looking away from him, obviously afraid of the answer.

‘Nope, absolutely not. I pulled up outside, she got out and then I drove away. I swear to God that’s what happened.’

They arrived back at the cars.

‘Adrian, I think you should come back with me,’ DI Walsh said.

Adrian didn’t know whether DI Walsh believed him or not, but he knew in his situation, he would be inclined to believe the victim. A thought that gave him no great comfort. Either way, this was a shitshow and Adrian was the main attraction.

Chapter Nine

Imogen stood with her arms folded, looking down at DCI Mira Kapoor, who was responding to an email from PSD, the department that were sending someone over to investigate Adrian. She had come in to speak to the DCI on her own, without DI Walsh breathing over her shoulder. She knew he wasn’t actively trying to piss anyone off, and that he was right to question what was going on, but he seemed to have made his mind up already. Admittedly, looking at Caitlin Watts in that hospital bed was enough to give anyone pause. It really wouldn’t make sense for her to make it up, why would she? Wouldn’t she want to see her attacker put away for what he had done to her? Meeting Caitlin before and forming a strong opinion about how manipulative she was was definitely clouding Imogen’s judgement. She knew there were plenty of people who would be happy to think of Adrian as someone who would do this. The truth was, of course, that even though there was no doubt in her mind that Adrian was innocent, there was still that voice in the back of her mind, demanding to be heard.

‘You can stop looking at me like that, DS Grey. This is procedure, there is nothing I can do. My hands are tied.’

‘He didn’t do this. No way,’ she urged.

‘I’m glad you have his back, and while I admire your loyalty, I don’t have that luxury.’

‘Can I help with the investigation?’

‘I think we both know the answer to that.’