‘Stay with Barry,’ Jane told Boon and hurried to the main bedroom.

A buxom, dark-haired woman in her late twenties was sitting up in bed tightly clutching a white bed sheet under her chin. She looked terrified, her eyes wide open and her body shaking.

‘Please don’t hurt me?’ she pleaded, close to tears.

‘It’s all right, love, no one’s going to hurt you . . . we’re police officers not burglars,’ the crime squad officer informed her, holding up his warrant card. ‘Are you Barry May’s missus?’

She still looked worried. ‘Yes, has something happened to him?’

Jane stepped between the officers and the woman. ‘There’s no need to be alarmed, Mrs May. Your husband is fine and here with us.’ Jane waved to Boon to bring Barry to the bedroom.

‘What’s going on, Barry?’ his wife asked, seeing the handcuffs.

‘These idiots think I nicked some jewellery and want to search the house for it. I’ve told them they’re wasting their time,’ he said.

‘No work today?’ Jane asked Mrs May.

‘I swapped shifts with a friend.’

‘Are the children in their bedroom?’

‘No, they’re with my mother. I dropped them off earlier and came back to bed for a bit of peace and quiet.’

‘I’d like you to get dressed, please, then we can search your bedroom,’ Jane told her.

‘What, with them in here?’ she asked, nodding towards the male officers. ‘I ain’t got no clothes on.’

Jane told her colleagues to go to the living room with Barry and start the search. She then closed the door.

‘Sorry, Mrs May, but I need you to stay in here while I search your bedroom . . . it’s normal procedure.’

‘This is ridiculous,’ she sighed. ‘Can you hand me the dressing gown on the back of the door.’

Jane lifted it off the hook and threw it on the bed. Katie didn’t move.

‘Do you mind turning around while I put it on?’

Jane sighed as she turned. ‘Please, Mrs May, just get a move on so I can search the room.’

‘You can turn around now,’ she said a few moments later.

Jane noticed Mrs May was holding the dressing-gown collar tightly around her neck.

‘Do you have a jewellery box?’ Jane asked. She noticed Mrs May’s hand tremble slightly as she pointed to the dressing table.

‘It’s in the top right drawer.’

Jane removed the jewellery box and looked inside. There were some cheap rings, bangles, and a chain with a K pendant. Jane held it up. ‘Is this yours?’

‘Yes. K for Katie.’

‘And this is all your jewellery?’

She nodded and pulled the dressing-gown collar up.

‘Are you wearing a necklace of any sort just now.’

‘No,’ she replied nervously.

‘I’d like you open your dressing-gown collar, please,’ Jane said.

‘Do I have to?’ Katie started to cry.

‘I understand you’re trying to protect your husband . . . but please don’t put me in a position where I have to arrest you on suspicion of handling stolen goods and forcibly search you.’