At the same time, Adrian realised that there was no way he wasn’t going to investigate who attacked him. He had kept the physical evidence, he already had a list of Corrigan’s staff, possible suspects in his attack, safely stashed in his home. As much as he thought he was ignoring it, he wasn’t. His training and instinct had already started looking for clues that he was behind his sexual assault. At some point, he would have to finish the job.

‘What happened?’ Angela directed her question at both of them before turning to Adrian, ‘Did he do something to you? I told you he could get to you,’ Angela Corrigan looked between her husband and Adrian, a new panic in her voice.

This is what Adrian dreaded; she didn’t feel safe with him anymore. Angela had a vantage point that others didn’t have and so maybe she could see those microscopic involuntary facial movements that others wouldn’t notice. Maybe Adrian was giving the game away. He was glad Imogen wasn’t here for this. If the truth got out about what had happened to him then no one would feel safe with him again.

‘Who does the body at the house in Oswestry belong to?’ Adrian said, steering the conversation away from himself.

‘No one important,’ Reece said.

No sooner had he said the words than the gun went off.

Reece Corrigan fell backwards onto the ground. He clutched at his arm and smiled through gritted teeth. Adrian thought he heard a chuckle as he made a move to help Reece.

‘Stay back, Detective Miles,’ Angela said before turning the gun on Adrian. ‘Let him bleed.’

Imogen rushed into the room a moment after the gun had fired, her face panicked. She saw Angela with the gun pointed at Adrian and then she looked down and saw Reece Corrigan lying on the floor, blood oozing from between the fingers that clutched his arm. A bullet had grazed his shoulder.

‘Angela, what are you doing? We’ve almost got him,’ Imogen said softly.

‘Who did we find at the house in Oswestry, Angela?’ Adrian said.

‘He said she left, that she found out about me and went away,’ Angela said, her eyes filling as she stared ahead, her eyes not connecting with anything but a memory.

‘Who found out about you?’ Adrian asked.

‘Because I made her leave, he told me that I had to look after him, that he was the only person left who loved me,’ she said, turning to Corrigan. ‘You told me the greenhouse was a gift. You’re sick!’

‘No one else would have taken you in, Angela, you know that. You have nothing to offer.’

‘Just stop talking,’ Adrian snapped at Reece.

‘Angela, I’m going to call an ambulance for him. He’s bleeding,’ Imogen said.