‘Until she confirms what we already think we know then we are powerless. She didn’t give us any fingerprints or DNA at the hospital, so we can’t even prove that she is Jane Doe. They will have top lawyer money and they could explain their way out of it. Say it was a lookalike or something.’

‘But it is her.’

‘So, we wait until he leaves for work and then we go and speak to her. We’ll brief the DCI today and we can go in the morning. If we blow this, then we put her in even more danger. Not to mention the fact that we have absolutely no proof that Reece Corrigan is to blame for Simon Glover’s death and Leon Quick never specifically named him. It could just as easily be someone else at the company. Corrigan himself said they employed plenty of ex-cons. We have nothing.’

‘It was him. I can feel it. I’d rather keep an eye on him. A violent man like that, he is bound to step out of line. I saw it time and again with my father. It didn’t matter how many times he claimed to have changed, he always resorted to that closed fist again.’

‘What are you suggesting?’ Imogen said.

‘I’m suggesting a romantic evening in the car with a chip butty and couple of Tizers. We can brief the DCI in the morning.’

‘You want to stake out the house?’

‘I feel responsible for that woman, Imogen. Isn’t there some old proverb that says if you save someone’s life it then becomes your duty to protect them? I feel like I have to make sure she is OK.’

‘How do you know that the violence is not the compromise she is willing to make for that lavish lifestyle?’

‘That doesn’t make it right. Besides, she was trying to leave, remember? At least that’s what the passport suggests.’

Adrian tried not to sound as annoyed as he was. His words were clipped and his jaw clenched to stop himself from snapping at Imogen.

‘Of course not. I am not saying it’s right at all. I’m just saying, she might not thank you for getting involved.’

‘That’s our job, to get involved. Do you know how different my life would have been if the police got involved once in a while, how different my mother’s life would have been? Thankfully, we don’t have the same insane domestic abuse laws that existed when I was a kid. Did you know that up until 1991 it was legal to have sex with your wife without her consent? Can you imagine that? It wasn’t considered rape if you were married.’

‘You’re taking everything I say the wrong way. We’re both responsible for Angela Corrigan, but what’s happening to her isn’t our fault, though. It’s Reece Corrigan’s – we think.’