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After about 15 to 20 minutes, it should reach 120˚C on your sugar thermometer.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow the mixture to settle a little.

Then, beat with a wooden spoon in the pan until the mixture is almost set. (You’ll need some elbow grease.)

Transfer the mixture to the pre-lined tin and spread it out evenly into the corners and edges.

Leave it to set for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight.

For neatly cut bars, score your tablet into the right shapes about 30 minutes into setting.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

HANNAH

“Hiya, I’m PC Barron.” The woman had greying hair tied back in a neat bun. She wasn’t in uniform. “But you can call me Sunitra. I gather you’ve already met my wife.”

“I have,” said Hannah with a smile. There was something reassuring about the fact that this felt so informal.

“Do I hear my name being taken in vain?” Anya entered the billiards room where Hannah and Sunitra were meeting.

“Always, my love,” said Sunitra with a grin.

“Here, tea and gingerbread snowflakes. It felt appropriate.” Anya placed the tray on the large table between Hannah and Sunitra. “Will you stay for dinner, love?” Anya turned to her wife.

“Yes, of course,” Sunitra nodded. “Anything to avoid the dreaded walk back.”

“I’ll be joining you, too. I’ve left Hamid in charge of service this evening. I’ve been running around like a loon all day, what with the snow and the power cut.” Anya shook her head. “I’ll leave you both to it.”

She retreated, leaving Hannah and Sunitra to their conversation. “OK, first things first,” said Sunitra, pulling out a notepad, “I’ve had the report from the Met. Are you OK?”

Hannah wasn’t expecting this to be the first question of the conversation. “Er, well, sort of?”

“Mmm,” Sunitra made a note. “Well you’d be forgiven for being scared out of your wits. But I’m here to tell you that based on what I can see, it’s highly unlikely anyone’s going to make it all the way up here to you.”

“But not impossible.” Hannah spoke quietly, working hard to keep her voice level.

“No, hen. Nothing is impossible. That is why I’m here. And between me, Anya, Anne-Marie and Lottie, you can be confident that we’ll be keeping a close eye on you.” Sunitra poured herself some tea and added sugar. “Tea?”

Hannah nodded.

“There’s very little a cup of tea won’t solve,” said Sunitra, “aside from catastrophic bleeding or severe burns.”

Hannah gave a nervous laugh.

“Sorry, copper humour.” Sunitra gave a reassuring smile. “I have a few questions I need to go through with you, if that’s OK?”

Hannah nodded. “Of course.”

“Right, hen. Now, some of this will echo what that young lad from the Met asked you, but I’d rather be belt and braces on this one.” Sunitra took a mouthful of tea before continuing. “Can you think of anyone who would wish you harm?”

“In the work I’m in, there’s a very long list of people I’ve pissed off, especially in the government, and potentially in Russia,” said Hannah grimly. “But I don’t know that that’s the sort of thing you’re talking about.”

“Well, the Met are following up on some of the folk you’ve annoyed more recently,” said Sunitra. “But I’d agree, based on the MO. This doesn’t seem like any kind of orchestrated thing.”

Hannah smiled at the description of disgraced former prime minister and Russian oligarchs as ‘folk’. “Yes, the officer I spoke to earlier said intelligence is being examined but at this point it’s deemed as unlikely.” She shuffled in her seat. “But not impossible.”

“But in your personal life, there’s no one?” Sunitra asked the question gently.