‘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.’

Katie let out a sob. ‘I swear I didn’t know it was stolen. He said he found it on the building site.’ She removed the chain from her neck and handed it to Jane.

Hanging from it was a silver cross measuring about two and a half by one and a half inches with a Sacred Heart engraved on it, along with a small cross and circle of thorns.

Jane removed a small exhibits bag from her pocket and placed the cross and chain in it. ‘Thank you for being honest with me,’ she said.

‘Please don’t tell Barry what I told you,’ Katie said, looking desperate.

Jane sensed fear in her voice and now the dressing gown was loose below the neck, she noticed two large bruises above Katie’s left breast. ‘Did Barry do that to you?’ she asked, pointing to them.

Katie closed the dressing gown. ‘It was an accident . . . he didn’t mean to.’

Jane wasn’t convinced. ‘Have you got any other bruises?’

‘No,’ she replied nervously.

‘Can you show me your arms, please.’