The Bad Things: A gripping crime thriller full of twists and turns

He sighed, and Alex imagined him raking his hair with his free hand, making it all stand up on end. ‘Look, it’s difficult enough for me to process this right now, and I’m in the middle of another case.’

‘I’d have thought you would have been there. At court, I mean.’ Alex couldn’t help herself.

‘Why weren’t you?’

‘They weren’t my children.’ No, they weren’t her children, but they were her sister’s children, and if it wasn’t for her they might still be alive. But she had to stop thinking that or it would send her mad. ‘Couldn’t the police give you compassionate leave or something? Look,’ Alex went for a more conciliatory tone, ‘I’m not asking you to drop everything now. I just want you to go over later. Stay there for the night. I would if I could but I’ve got Gus to think about.’

Silence. ‘I can’t, Alex. I can’t do it.’

‘Why not? Don’t you owe her something?’

‘Owe her?’

‘You were married to her.’

‘And now I’m not, okay? I wish things could have been different, God how I wish it. I still—’

‘Still what?’

There was more silence. ‘Never mind. It doesn’t matter. Besides, it’s too late now.’

‘Jez, I know—’

‘No.’ His voice was sharp. ‘You don’t know anything. I’m trying Alex, really trying to get over her; to deal with what happened all those years ago, but the pain is still so near the surface, you know? Even after all this time. Christ, it’s even hard to go out with other women, even though I try. God, how I try.’ He laughed bitterly. ‘And I never thought I’d say that.’ He paused. ‘And I bet she’s been cutting herself.’

Alex said nothing. Two could play the silence game.

‘I’m right, aren’t I? And I know I’m partly to blame. Look, Alex, I don’t expect you to understand, but me and Sasha—’

‘You and Sasha what?’

‘Nothing. Me and Sasha are nothing.’

‘If you can’t go round, could you send another plod round just to, I don’t know, stand outside the flat or something. I don’t want her besieged by journalists.’ She knew her play-acting on the phone wouldn’t fool a determined hack for very long.

‘I will ask,’ he said finally.

She had to hope it was enough.

It was cold and damp and Alex hunched her shoulders as she put the key in the front door. Suddenly a pair of arms encircled her waist.

‘Honey, you’re home.’

She rolled her eyes and felt her depression lift just a little. ‘Malone, you are so predictable.’ She opened the door. ‘And what are you doing? Waiting to ambush me?’

‘And how else am I supposed to get into your house? You haven’t given me a key yet.’

‘Too soon, Malone, too soon.’

‘It’s not too soon for me.’ Malone pushed the door shut behind them, grabbed hold of her hair each side of her face, and kissed her deeply. He smelled of whisky and smoke.

She pushed him away, trying to smile. ‘Down boy.’

‘Come on, sweetheart. And haven’t I just given you all of myself so you can keep yourself in handbags and shoes?’ He laid his slight Irish accent on thickly.

‘Ha. As if. And you know I’m very grateful. But, to be honest, it’s been a shit of a day.’

He stroked her cheek. ‘Did they not like the piece?’

‘I don’t know yet, I haven’t looked.’ Alex rolled her shoulders and rubbed the back of her neck.

‘So?’

‘Sasha.’

‘Ah.’ Such a wealth of meaning in such a little word.

Alex hadn’t known Malone that long. In fact, she met him while researching her latest article; he was the article – the mad man who’d worked undercover most of his adult life. He had posed as a member of a far-right group. His work had included exposing would-be terrorists. It had been a dirty job and his life had been in danger. Then there had been the infiltration of environmental protest groups of the flat sandals and vegan persuasion. Lord, he told her with his lopsided grin, he never wanted to see a lentil again.

‘How close did you have to get to the protestors?’ she’d asked him.

He’d shrugged at that. ‘As close as I had to.’

‘Sex?’

‘As close as I had to.’

It had been a hard slog, but she had eventually been able to tease out more details from him, and her admiration for him had grown. It helped he was amusing, too, and made her forget herself.

And she told him about Sasha and her babies and how her marriage fell apart and how her sister needed her. She’d told him all that, but she hadn’t told him what really kept her awake at night.

‘Tea?’ He picked up the kettle.

‘Yes please,’ she said.

‘So what about Sasha?’

Alex shook her head, amused. It was what she liked about Malone. He might have thwarted terrorists and saved the world, but he had no interest in the news of the moment.

‘Jackie Wood got out on appeal.’ Alex thought if she just said the words in a matter-of-fact way it would be easier. She was wrong. There was a familiar stinging behind her eyes.

‘Ah,’ he said again. He put down the kettle and put his arms round her, holding her tight.

‘Sasha was in a bad way.’ Her voice was muffled by his jumper. ‘I tried to get Jez to go and stay the night, but I don’t know if he will.’

‘He’ll go.’ He kissed the top of her head. ‘I’m sure he’ll go.’

‘I hope so. Though there’s no reason why he should. Although sometimes I wonder—’