‘I just… Rose… I remember⁠—’

‘Fighting with Rose? Tell us about that.’

‘You… you know already?’

Tomek patted the man’s thigh patronisingly. ‘I do, yes. But I want to hear your version of events. What do you have to say for yourself?’

Somewhere, somewhere deep inside Johnny’s brain, the switches turned back on and the cogs began working again, because he slowly lifted his gaze back up to Tomek, his eyes a little clearer, more focused this time.

‘She’s a cunt,’ he spat.

Tomek placed a hand on his breast pocket. ‘You want that on the record or…?’

‘She’s a cunt.’

‘And why’s that, Johnny?’

‘Because… because she is. I swear to God, the next time I see her…’

‘The next time you see her, what?’

‘Nothing. She’s a cunt.’

Tomek could tell this was going to be an even longer process than he’d anticipated.

‘And why would that be, Johnny? How did she find out that you’ve been secretly performing as a drag act in Southend for the past eighteen months? How do you think she felt? Because it seems to me like you were the one lying to her. Not the other way round. So doesn’t that make you the cunt, Johnny?’

The man muttered something unintelligible.

‘How did you react when she confronted you with it, Johnny? Did you hit Rose, Johnny?’

The man shook his head.

‘What would have happened if it was the other way round? What would have happened if you’d found out she was having an affair, or that she was dressing up as a man? Would you have hit her then, Johnny?’

Another shake.

‘Who else knew about this, Johnny? Who else knew you’d been lying to your entire family, lying to yourself? Angelica? Did she know?’

Tomek noticed a flicker of the eyes, a movement of the muscles in his face. It was only minor, but noticeable to Tomek’s highly trained eye.

‘She did know, didn’t she? She found out, didn’t she? How?’

‘Her… her friend,’ the man started. ‘They invited… I was performing…’

‘So she saw you. She saw you and suddenly your secret was out. What did you do when she confronted you with it?’

The man turned unresponsive again, his body sloping to one side like a stroke patient.

‘Did you get angry towards her, Johnny? Did you kill her because she threatened to tell Rose about your big secret? Is that what happened?’

The man raised an arm and started to swing it towards Tomek, but the movement was so slow Tomek would’ve had enough time to leave the room, fill a small cup of water and return to his seat before it hit him. As the man realised his mistake, attempting to punch a police officer wasn’t the smartest idea at even the best of times, his eyes widened and he lowered his fist before any contact was made.

‘Did you just try to assault me?’

‘No.’

‘Yes, you did. I fucking saw you do it. I have a witness.’ Tomek pointed to Anna, who was sitting on the other side of the bed, quietly making notes. ‘You tried to punch me. That’s a very serious thing to do, especially to a police officer. Would you like me to arrest you?’

Johnny shook his head.

‘I should. I really should. I mean, you’ve already proven how violent you are. Punching Shawn Wilkins in the face repeatedly. Who’s to say you’ve never punched your wife or never hurt your sister? Maybe even killed her.’

Johnny’s brow furrowed as his expression tightened. ‘I… never… killed… her…’

‘So you say, but I’m having difficulty believing anything you tell me right now. So far, everything you’ve said has proven to be a lie. First you were away for work, then you were having an affair, and now you’re secretly a drag queen.’ Tomek shuffled forward on his chair, and leant forward, placing his elbows on his knees. ‘Why don’t you be honest with me, Johnny? Why don’t we start with an easy one: what did you do after you finished your act at Cool Cats and Kittens on the night Angelica was murdered?’

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

Kasia was waiting for him as soon as he opened the door, a look of concern across her face.

‘I watched you walk up from the window,’ she told him.

‘Okay…’

‘I wanted to give you this.’

In her hand, she held an envelope.

Nathan.

‘Why?’ he asked. ‘I thought we agreed to leave it on the table, just in case…’

‘I know, but this is the third one in, like, less than a week.’ She shrugged. ‘I dunno. I just wanted to make sure you got it.’

Tomek took the envelope from her carefully and observed it, turning it over in his hands. The edges of the seal were torn slightly. ‘Have you tried opening it?’ he asked.

Kasia shook her head.

‘Why do you look so worried?’ he asked.

‘I don’t like how many we’re getting,’ she said. ‘It… it makes me feel uncomfortable. I… I read one of the other ones you got.’

Tomek chose not to react immediately.

Kasia continued: And… and I wish I hadn’t. But, it was so difficult not to open it. I’m sorry, Dad. I know I shouldn’t have done gone through your stuff. I know it was an invasion of your privacy, but… I was just curious.’

Before Tomek opened his mouth to respond, he wanted to think about it first. He was furious, livid with her for going through his personal property – his letters from his brother’s killer, no less. He expected that from Abigail, but not Kasia. Kasia wasn’t supposed to care about those letters. She was supposed to treat them with as much flippant disregard as she did a council tax bill or a letter from the estate agents. But she hadn’t. She’d searched through his things and betrayed his trust. For a second time.