‘I was in an altercation with Reece Corrigan; I’m going to get checked out by a paramedic and then I’ll head home, if that’s all right? I’m sure Imogen will fill you in on what happened. I’ll complete a report in the morning.’

‘Are you OK?’

‘Yes, we caught him beating his wife and you can imagine the rest.’

‘Is Imogen all right?’

‘She’s fine. I’m fine, too, but I took a couple of punches.’

‘We’ll see you bright and early tomorrow, then. I look forward to hearing your explanation for what happened today. It better be a good one.’

‘Of course.’

She hung up the phone before he did. He couldn’t face going back to the station and sitting opposite Imogen for the next hour. His nose had stopped bleeding, but he waited to see the paramedic anyway, in case anyone asked. After that he was going out. He needed some time alone.

This relationship with Imogen was intense because they saw each other all the time. Nothing had changed in the way they worked together; nothing had changed in the things they said to each other. The only difference was the fact that there was more to lose now, so throwaway comments had a little more weight. They were still learning how to have everything. Maybe it wasn’t possible.

Chapter Forty

I told those police detectives to leave it alone but they just won’t. I know it’s not that simple, I know they can’t just walk away from a murder investigation, but still. I wish they would go away and leave us alone; they have no idea how hard they are making things.

I am sitting in the car a few hundred metres from my house. I can see the two detectives outside my door talking to R. I look in the mirror and see the remnants of a very obvious shiner. The make-up I put on was pointless, as my eye is still swollen from earlier today.

We had a fight this morning. I ruined a shirt he liked and so he sent me to the shops to get another one, but not before cuffing me first. He has a million shirts – he certainly didn’t need a new one. It was more about making me feel awkward and having to lie about my injury to shop assistants, almost daring anyone to do anything about it. As if anyone believes any of those lies, anyway. I search my handbag for my shades and put them on before starting the engine and going to the house.