Clay sat in front of two photographs face down on the table and two folded papers. She formally opened the interview, staring into Norma’s eyes with each word.

‘Have you had any thoughts since our last discussion?’ asked Clay.

‘When can I go home? The same thought, over and over.’

‘You can’t go home,’ said Clay. ‘Your house is being treated as a crime scene. Your personal laptop and phone are being explored by our IT specialist. Anything you’ve deleted can be easily undeleted and anything you’ve tried to hide will be found.’

Norma Maguire looked at her solicitor as if she’d woken from a nightmare.

‘DCI Clay,’ said Ms Rice. ‘Would you describe Ms Maguire as a prime suspect in the abduction of Francesca Christie?’

‘Yes.’

‘On what grounds?’

‘Look at me, Ms Maguire, not the backs of your hands.’ She noticed the veins bulging beneath the skin of her hands and the power in her wrists. Her lower forearms were riddled with muscle and her fingers were thick and meaty.

Clay slid a piece of paper across the desk.

‘Recognise the handwriting?’

‘It’s my handwriting.’

‘And what’s on it?’

‘The names of the last six people to leave my employment.’

‘Read it back to me.’

‘Francesca Christie. Max Rodgers. Peter Gould. Eric Smith. Richard Ezra. David Ellis.’

Clay looked at the second list of names.

‘So that’s definitely the last six people who walked out on you?’

‘Yes. I told you that earlier when I gave you the list.’

She presented Norma Maguire with the second list.

‘Read that list to me.’

‘Francesca Christie. Geoff Campbell.’

‘Carry on, Norma.’

‘James.’ There was the catch of rising tears in her voice. ‘James Griffiths. Thomas Saddler. Richard Ezra.’

Hendricks turned over a photograph of Richard Ezra staring lovingly into a doctored space.

‘Is this the Richard Ezra you’ve just mentioned?’ asked Clay.

‘He used to work for me. What of it?’

‘Keep going with the list,’ said Clay. ‘There’s one more name on it. Read it to us.’

‘Michael Towers. What are you driving at, DCI Clay?’ asked Norma Maguire.

‘All the people on the second list you’ve read have two specific things in common. They were all permanent members of staff at Maguire Holdings and they all walked away from you. With the exception of Francesca Christie and Richard Ezra, the list you provided was fallacious, a set of half-truths meant to misguide me. The other four names of the six you provided were agency staff, temps who came and went. Do I carry on or are you going to tell me about the list in my handwriting that I’ve just given you?’