Tony Spears told me that he’d been married to Lorraine Van Hewlen, as she was, for two years seven years ago.

‘I met her at university,’ he said. ‘We were both doing economics and I was a year ahead. I helped her because she was struggling. I did pretty well and got a job in an investment firm. We got married at the beginning of her final year. I drilled her hard and she did brilliantly, topped everything. She got a job in a merchant bank and dropped me the next day. Two years, but it was more like a tutorship than a marriage, except that… except that I was in love with her and I still am.’

Poor bastard, I thought. ‘What about husband number two?’

‘Bloke in the bank. Fat, bald, rich as shit. She took him for a packet. She’d made all sorts of connections under his wing and she set up on her own. She’s flying high.’

‘But married to a career crim.’

‘Doesn’t seem to have done her any harm, professionally’ He’d regained some colour and was pulling himself together. He asked to use the toilet and when he came back he’d spruced himself up a bit and accepted a mug of black coffee. He sipped the brew and gave a despairing sigh.

‘I don’t understand it. A man like Master. Okay, she used me and Lance Robbins, but him…’

‘Some women go for men like that. They marry them in gaol. Want to have their babies, smuggle out sperm. Look at that woman with the helicopter.’

‘Is Lorrie trying to help Master escape?’

I laughed. ‘Do I look like an idiot to you?’

‘No, I do. What’s she up to?’