Detective Inspector Alice Cauldwell looked through the two-way mirror at her suspect as he sat next to the duty solicitor in the interview room; his long, greasy hair framing a sharp-featured face, which was wearing an insouciant look bordering on contempt. His lack of concern would normally have worried her, but her instincts tell her this is her man, and her instincts are rarely wrong.

She pinched the bridge of her nose and willed her tiredness to recede. It was the fag-end of a long and tiring night and she wanted to get this done as quickly as possible so she could go home, laze in a bath and climb into bed for a long, overdue sleep.   

“Okay, Kev,” she said to her DS, “let’s get this over with.”