Wayne said nothing but smiled ever so slightly. ‘Tuesday at twelve I was at the pub until I went home for tea. I stayed there until midday the next day when I went back to the pub. Simple; if I’m not at home, I’m at the pub.’

His attitude was already pushing Jessica’s buttons. ‘Not breaking into people’s homes then?’

Hunt immediately cut in, looking up from his notes at Jessica. ‘Excuse me. Are you accusing my client of breaking into homes on that day?’

Jessica ignored him, asking where Wayne had been between the times they thought the murder had happened.

Wayne didn’t even sound angry, just antagonistic. He hadn’t taken his eyes off Jessica once during the interview. ‘Are you deaf?’

‘Just answer,’ Hunt said quietly.

‘Home and pub. It’s not hard.’

Jessica met his glare. ‘The problem is, Wayne, that you’re the only link we have to both of these murders. Isn’t it funny, you burgle both their houses then a year later they end up dead?’

Wayne slid his chair back slightly, making it screech along the floor. Finally taking his eyes from Jessica he laughed quietly as Hunt spoke again. ‘My client has never been found guilty of a burglary. I think you should be careful of who you’re accusing.’

Jessica again let it hang in the air, refusing to rise to the retort. ‘Okay then, Wayne, let’s go back to last year. Let’s talk about this man in the pub you “bought” all those stolen items from, shall we?’

Hunt moved as if he was about to speak but simply let out a little cough. Jessica met Wayne’s gaze again. He had eyes that were a very pale blue, almost grey. His stare was unwavering. ‘I don’t really remember.’

‘Come on, Wayne, this mysterious man is the number one suspect in a double murder. You’re our star witness. Do you want to try again?’

‘He was a man.’

‘That’s a start . . .’

‘Wearing a baseball cap.’

Jessica said nothing.

‘I don’t remember any more than that.’

Jessica sighed, looked at Cole, then Hunt, then back at Wayne. ‘The problem is that I don’t believe you. I don’t believe there was a man in the pub. I think you stole those items and I think you went back to those houses and murdered two innocent people for whatever reason you could come up with.’

She wasn’t sure if she did believe that but had nothing else to go on. Hunt spoke louder this time. ‘My client has been cleared of those burglaries. Cleared. Now if you have any evidence, any single scrap at all that he was at any of those scenes then – or at any of them last week – please produce it. If not, let him go and we can all get back to enjoying the weekend.’

Jessica ignored him. ‘How did you get back into those houses a second time?’

No answer.

‘How did it feel strangling those victims, Wayne?’

The two of them continued to stare at each other as if Cole and Lapham’s lawyer were invisible. ‘Did you enjoy it?’ Jessica added.

Hunt started to stand up, pulling his pad from the table as if to indicate the interview was over, but his client didn’t move.

‘Fuck ye,’ Wayne said aggressively.

‘You’d like that wouldn’t you? Violent man like you. Is that what you got up to in prison? Is that how you got that scar?’

‘De-tec-tive!’ Hunt was shouting now, standing up to his full height and indicating for his client to do the same. Cole shuffled nervously in the seat next to her but neither Jessica nor Wayne moved. The suspect didn’t say a word, continuing to stare at Jessica, neither of them wanting to be the first to look away.

He growled his response. ‘Yous have got fuck all on me and yous know it.’

Jessica did know it and trying to wind him up was having the opposite effect. She was allowing herself to be frustrated by his lack of cooperation. ‘Who’s the girl?’ Jessica asked.

Hunt was still standing but, with the obvious lack of movement from his client, had little option other than to sit again.

‘What girl?’

‘The one at your flat. Wife? Girlfriend? Mistress? Sister? Girlfriend and sister?’

‘What’s it to ye?’

‘Nothing . . . just that when she phoned to tip you off about us looking for you yesterday, that was what we call “obstructing a police constable in execution of their duty”. It’s a criminal offence, something I know you are very familiar with.’

Cole shuffled nervously and Jessica knew she was on thin ice. ‘We’ve already checked the phone records,’ she lied, snapping her fingers. ‘I could send an officer around to pick her up like that.’

Wayne finally looked away, peering towards his Hunt. ‘Is that true?’

Hunt stumbled over his words. ‘I, er, well, I don’t know. It could be an offence . . .’

His client was suddenly angry, his cool expression and steely stare gone. Jessica had the feeling she was finally seeing the real Wayne Lapham. ‘Why won’t ye lot leave us alone? I’ve not done nothing wrong. Every time I get out and try to get clean I have ye lot banging on my door, stopping me in the street. It’s not right.’

He was finally animated; banging on the desk with his cuffed hands, any pretension of coolness gone.

‘“Not done nothing” is a double negative, Wayne. Can I take that as a confession?’ Jessica smiled.

Hunt cut back in. ‘Don’t be bloody ridiculous.’ He looked to Cole. ‘Are these questions going anywhere? If you’ve got anything at all on my client then charge him. If not, let’s end this ridiculous grandstanding.’

Even Hunt’s demeanour had slipped with that exchange. Jessica knew she was pushing it. She didn’t even know where she was going but hoped her superior wouldn’t shut her down. ‘The problem is, Wayne, that you don’t go out and get clean, do you? At the very least you go out and buy a load of stolen gear from some bloke down the pub who you just happen to not remember.’

Wayne was back to staring at her; the calm had returned. ‘Ye are even cuter when ye are angry.’ He winked at her again.

Cole cut in even before Hunt could. ‘Right, this is going nowhere.’ He gave the time and said he was terminating the interview before stopping the tape and getting to his feet. ‘Mr Lapham, you are free to leave. I will find the keys to those cuffs and you can go out with your legal representative. Check with the sergeant on the front desk on the way out. He will give your lawyer further instructions regarding police bail. You may have to return at a later date.’

Cole left the room, leaving the door slightly ajar. Hunt was also standing and packing his notepad into his briefcase, shaking his head while making tutting noises. Jessica and Wayne remained sitting, weighing each other up. Jessica finally relented, scraping her chair back, turning around and walking towards the door. Before she could get there, Wayne spoke. ‘Detective . . .’

Jessica turned around.

‘That is one mighty fine arse ye’ve got there. I would love to have a go on that.’ He used both hands, still handcuffed, to grab his crotch. ‘I’ll bet ye are a real goer, yeah?’

Hunt went to say something but Jessica acted on instinct. She took two strides across the room and leant over the table so she was at eye level around a foot away from him. ‘You think you’re a real hard man, don’t you, Wayne?’

He eyeballed her as Hunt said something about the interview being over. Jessica ignored him and stared directly into Wayne’s eyes. ‘It must take a really hard man to break into people’s houses and take their possessions before getting some slimy shitbag like this to get them off.’

She heard Hunt splutter as Wayne’s gaze flickered away for a fraction of a second, perhaps unnerved by how close they were.

‘I don’t think you’re hard, Wayne. I don’t think you’re hard at all. I think you’re a pathetic little man who’s pissed their life away. And do you know what else? I think you’re all talk.’

She moved even closer to him, just six inches between them now. ‘Do you know how to fight, Wayne? I bet you think you do. Most people start by throwing a few punches.’