Christopher stopped at a drab door, turned the master key and the door creaked as it opened into another corner of Edgar McKee’s world.

‘Christopher.’ The site manager turned and Mason showed him a search warrant on his iPhone. ‘The duty magistrate issued this an hour ago. Is this the only locker Edgar McKee has?’

‘Yes. Staff are only allowed one.’

‘Is there anywhere else on the site where he could keep other possessions?’

‘No, absolutely not. Health and safety’s God Almighty in this place. Has to be. The only personal possessions are stored in the lockers in the changing rooms.’

Mason looked at the row of shower cubicles at the far end of the changing rooms, the adjoining toilets, and the wisdom of the abattoir written on a laminated poster on the wall.

A CLEAN WORKER IS A SAFE WORKER

‘I’ll sit on the bench here as you go through his stuff.’

‘No. Can you please wait outside the door? Sergeant Price and myself may have to exchange sensitive information during the course of our search.’

The site manager got up reluctantly and walked towards the door with profound disappointment stamped in his slumped shoulders.

‘Christopher. The warrant allows us to seize his property and take it away for forensic investigation. You understand? Please close the door as you leave the room.’

Price opened a large black holdall containing a stack of evidence bags as Mason snapped on a pair of latex gloves.

They looked into the locker at the small haul of Edgar McKee’s clothing.

Price opened a pair of large evidence bags and Mason knelt at the foot of the locker. He picked up a pair of worn and scuffed white wellingtons, the letter E painted crudely on the left boot and M on the right.

‘Light them up, Pricey,’ said Mason.

Price shone torchlight inside the left boot and said, ‘It’s riddled with all kinds of matter.’

‘Wait until we get deeper into the boot, from the end of the heel to the tips of the toes.’

Price repeated the illumination in the right boot and said, ‘Same.’

‘What was the first thing I said to you, Pricey, day one when you joined me?’

‘There’s so much evidence that can be picked up from the head and the feet.’

‘Let’s bag them, one boot in each bag. Thank you.’

Price placed the evidence bags on the wooden bench and shone light on the empty floor of Edgar McKee’s locker.

‘I’ll lint the whole interior when we’ve emptied it,’ said Price.

Mason stood up and from a hook on the right-hand side of the locker lifted a white leather apron with a brown fibre lining. Price opened a large evidence bag and the apron was secured inside and placed alongside the bagged boots.