Jessica tried to sound as upbeat as she could, knowing tears would not be far away if she attempted to be serious. ‘I’m fine. Adam’s fine. I was trying to reply to your message but the predictive text kept changing the word “knob” to “know”, so I thought I’d call instead.’

It was clear from the pause and Garry’s gentle tone that he wasn’t believing the bravado. ‘I’m glad you called. I wanted to phone you but Dave said you were in hospital. I thought I should tell you about our front page tomorrow . . .’ He tailed off guiltily.

‘What are you writing?’ Jessica asked.

‘Nothing bad, we’re just saying what’s happened with you and your house and everything.’

‘Are you using my name?’

‘Yes, we have to. That’s the story. I’m sorry, Jess.’

Jessica didn’t know how to feel. It was another in her long list of things she hadn’t considered. She knew the fire would get coverage and the fact she was one of the officers investigating the series of arsons made it even more of a story.

‘What’s the headline?’

‘I didn’t write it.’

Jessica paused for a moment, wondering why she wasn’t feeling angry. ‘Just tell me, it’s fine.’

She heard Garry take a deep breath before replying. ‘“Arson nut burns down hero cop’s house”.’

Jessica thought about the words for a few moments. ‘I guess it could have been worse. How do you know they’re a “nut”?’

She heard Garry snort slightly. ‘Christ knows. I didn’t write it.’

‘And what about “cop”? We’re not in bloody New York.’

‘I know but it’s nice and short for a headline.’

‘“Hero”?’

Garry sounded pensive. ‘I suggested that bit.’

‘Why?’

‘Because you are a hero, Jess. Everyone knows the cases you’ve been on in the past. Randall, Doherty, the Marks brothers . . .’

Jessica felt a lump in her throat, embarrassed that she could solve other cases but, when it came to someone who had tried to burn her in her sleep, she either didn’t have a clue – or couldn’t pin it on the person she suspected.

‘Cheers,’ she said quietly before lurching into a cough. Again, it started deep inside her and she couldn’t control how long it lasted. She dropped the phone on one of the chairs, using both hands to cover her mouth. When she finally stopped and pulled away, there were flecks of blood and black in her palms. She winced at the sight and, in the absence of any tissues, wiped them on the underside of the seat before picking the phone back up.

‘Garry?’

‘I’m still here. Are you okay? That sounded bad.’

‘Nah, just a little tickle.’

The man paused briefly. ‘Jess, are you sure you’re all right?’

Garry was using the same concerned tone as Rowlands and it was beginning to annoy her. She ignored his question. ‘What picture of me have you used?’

The journalist clearly hadn’t anticipated her question and stumbled over his words. ‘I don’t know, a normal one.’

‘I don’t look like a moron?’

For a moment, she thought he was going to say ‘no more than usual’. She almost implored him to, wanting him to treat her normally. Instead, his reply was measured. ‘You just look like you, Jess.’

Jessica swallowed but her throat was drying out again. ‘All right. Thanks for calling anyway. I appreciate it. Don’t make a habit of it though.’

‘Okay, I was just concerned . . .’

‘I don’t mean that – I mean tipping me off about stories. If you’re nice to me too often I’m going to have to stop thinking all journalists are ambulance-chasing shits.’ Garry laughed but Jessica knew her bluster hadn’t duped him in the same way it hadn’t fooled Rowlands.

After hanging up, she dialled Andrew Hunter’s number. He sounded sleepy as he answered. ‘Er, hello?’

‘Andrew, it’s Jess. Are you going to be in your office tomorrow afternoon?’

‘Um, I guess . . .’

Before he could say anything else, Jessica cut across him. ‘Good, because I’m coming over.’

‘Okay . . .’

‘You should probably read the papers in the morning too.’

With that she hung up and called Rowlands back into the room.

‘You took a while,’ he said.

‘It takes time to look this good.’ She saw a smile crack across Dave’s face and realised she must be a mess. Her hair felt dirty and the clothes didn’t quite fit. She knew she needed a shower.

‘You should go home,’ she said. ‘It’s late and I’m feeling all right. One of the nurses said they’ll sort out a room for me so I can get some sleep and I’ll call you all tomorrow.’

‘You only just got dressed.’

Jessica didn’t want to tell him that she had put clean clothes on to feel normal – or that the reason she wanted him to leave wasn’t because she was going to sleep but because she wanted to be by herself.

‘I just wanted to make sure it all fitted,’ she said.

Dave nodded. ‘Okay, but make sure you call tomorrow.’

He turned to leave but Jessica touched his arm and pulled him towards her, resting her head on his breastbone and wrapping her arms around him. ‘Thank you for staying with me.’

At first, he seemed reluctant to reciprocate but then he put his arms completely around her, holding her and resting his chin on the top of her head.

Jessica eventually pulled away. ‘I’ll see you or talk to you tomorrow,’ she said.

She could tell he was forcing a smile as he motioned to leave for a second time. ‘Don’t come anywhere near work or Jack will go mental.’

‘Okay.’

Jessica watched him leave and then found one of the nurses. They allowed her to look around the door of Adam’s room but he was asleep. For a moment she stood transfixed by his chest rising and falling before the nurse brushed her arm and brought her back to reality.

She led Jessica to a small ward just along the corridor from Adam’s, where they said she would be able to stay the night. The smell of disinfectant was strong and, after she had been left alone, Jessica found it hard not to gag. Her mind was a mixture of things she definitely knew had happened and flashes of those she wasn’t so sure about.

Jessica removed Chloe’s clothes and entered the shower cubicle adjacent to the room. She turned on the water, adjusting the temperature until it was so hot that even holding her hand underneath it made her wince. Jessica closed her eyes and held her breath, stepping under the cascading water. She jumped as the heat burned the back of her neck but stayed underneath the jet, opening her eyes and staring at the plughole. As the black water swirled and descended through the holes in the floor, Jessica couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. They had been close ever since her senses had returned but now, finally, she let go.

She crouched and then sat under the spray, watching the water slowly turn from black to grey and eventually run clear as the enormity of what had happened dawned on her.

Someone had tried to kill her.

27

As Jessica entered Andrew Hunter’s office, she couldn’t help but scowl at his open-mouthed welcome. ‘Are you all right?’ she asked. ‘You look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

He hastily looked away as she sat down, brushing a copy of the morning’s paper off his desk onto the floor.

‘Subtle,’ she said sarcastically.

‘Sorry, I . . .’

‘It’s fine.’

‘Is there anything I can do?’

Jessica wriggled in the seat. ‘Getting a new chair would be a start.’

‘Sorry, I’ve got one on order.’

‘You told me that last time.’

‘Er, yeah . . .’

‘Forget it. Look, I need you to do something for me. I’ll pay whatever your rate is but it’s all unofficial, nothing to do with the police, it’s not CID, it’s a personal thing.’

Jessica could see the man looking uneasy in his chair. He glanced nervously away from her. ‘I don’t want your money,’ he said.