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and then leave us alone. I couldn’t see his face, so why…’
    For the first time since Lambert had arrived, Sackville lost his composure. It was miraculous he’d kept it together so long.
    ‘It’s not your fault,’ said Lambert. ‘I’d have done exactly the same thing in your situation.’
    ‘I doubt that. He pulled out a pair of cuffs. He manoeuvred Moira so she was behind me and he made her cuff me, my hands behind my back. He then told Moira to sit opposite me. As soon as I was secure he seemed to relax. He came over and pulled the cuffs tight to my wrists. He kept pushing them into my skin until he could push no more. Christ, I screamed like a bloody child.’
    Sackville wiped his sleeve across his eyes. ‘Moira screamed out for him to stop, and for some reason he did. Jesus.’
    Lambert knew time was short. Recalling the incident was naturally having a great impact on Sackville, and Lambert feared he would break down again and that Patel would be forced to sedate him. ‘Have some more water.’
    ‘Thanks.’ Sackville coughed. ‘It’s the not knowing. That fucking bastard paced the room, and refused to answer our questions about what he wanted. I think he was plucking up the courage to do what…’
    ‘Tell me,’ said Lambert.
    Sackville swayed forwards and back on his pillow, his neck and facial muscles so tense they looked liable to snap at any moment. ‘He stopped and looked at me, and I thought he was about to attack. He did, only it wasn’t me.’
    ‘This can’t continue,’ said Patel, almost as agitated as Sackville.
    Lambert held up his hand. ‘Please go on, Eustace.’
    ‘He gagged her. It was fucking pitiful. I pulled at my cuffs, and they hurt even more, but I just kept fighting. The look in her eyes, Michael. You can’t imagine. I saw everything. Fear, pain, loss, accusation. I saw our whole fucking life together disappearing and I was helpless to do anything about it. She was pleading to me, Michael. She wanted me to help her.’ Sackville shook his head. ‘You’ll never fucking know.’ He began sobbing, and Lambert had to look away as Patel went to intervene.
    ‘Please, Eustace, just tell me,’ said Lambert, staring at the hospital-white wall of Sackville’s room.
    ‘This is finished,’ said Patel.
    Lambert turned and looked back at Sackville, knowing he’d already pushed the man too far.
    ‘It’s okay,’ said Sackville, trying to compose himself. ‘He cut her, left wrist then right. It was almost tender, that sick bastard. Moira saw the blood and she disappeared. She didn’t look at me any more. I kept asking him, why, fucking why? I told him to kill me instead but he just sat on one of the other chairs staring at me, ignoring my screams. Watching.’
    Sackville’s heart monitor began beeping rapidly, his heartbeat rocketing to one hundred and ten.
    ‘Enough,’ shouted Patel, pressing an alarm button.
    As two nurses entered the room, Lambert called out. ‘Who was he, Eustace?’
    ‘I don’t know, Lambert. You need to tell Prue. Prue McKenzie,’ said Sackville, his voice a whisper as one of the nurses pulled a mask over his mouth and Lambert reluctantly left the room.

Chapter 5
    ‘You must be doing something right. I’ve just received my first complaint about you.’
    Lambert was sitting in Tillman’s office, the blinds pulled down. ‘Let me guess, Dr Patel?’
    Tillman nodded. ‘Was it worth it?’
    ‘Unless he’s an Oscar level actor, then we can rule out Eustace Sackville. Directly, at least.’
    Tillman, who was leaning back on his swivel chair, raised his eyebrows.
    ‘But I do think there was something he wasn’t telling me.’
    Tillman’s chair groaned as he pulled himself upright. ‘You think he arranged it somehow?’
    ‘No, but I’m not ruling anything out yet. Why are we working on this, sir? Even if it’s not a routine murder it’s not really our department.’
    ‘I told you, lots of interested parties on this one. You were requested.