[There are many excuses Skulduggery's used over the years - and there are even more he could use with Hayley. She's never had loved ones murdered in front of her, as far as Skulduggery knows - she has very little right to be making judgements.

But she isn't making judgements. She's asking a question.]

In my defence, I tried to arrest him. But he tried to kill an associate of mine, and I was forced to kill him to save her. There are people who are completely irredeemable, Hayley, and that man was one of them.