‘How about a pot of tea?’ Esson said, taking the hint. ‘I’ll make it.’ She headed for the kitchen while Clarke walked towards where Cheryl Haggard was seated, knees tucked under her chin, arms wrapped around her legs, as if in an attempt to make herself as insignificant as possible. The chair she sat in was big and squishy and lacked arms. It sat in a corner of the room by the window, though she showed no interest in the panorama beyond.

‘You doing okay?’ Clarke asked her, receiving a slow nod of reply.

‘Neither of us got much sleep,’ her sister said. ‘Every hour I was checking the doors and windows. You’ve not found him yet?’

‘I wanted to take another look at the footage. Maybe you could talk me through what we’re not hearing?’

‘Swear to God, I’m getting someone in to wire the system for sound.’ Pelham looked around for her iPad, eventually spotting it under a TV remote. ‘To think that when James ordered it, I told him he was wasting his money.’ She sat at the table and busied herself finding the recording. Esson appeared carrying a tea tray.

‘Couldn’t find any sugar,’ she said.

‘Neither of us takes it,’ Pelham said.

‘Then we’re fine.’ Esson took a mug over to the chair. When Haggard showed no interest, she placed it on the floor next to her.

At the table, Pelham angled the iPad towards the two detectives.

‘This is from the outside camera. He climbed over the bloody gates while the four of us were in here. Hid himself behind the bins. Hang on, I’ll fast-forward.’ She did so, but overshot and had to go back. ‘That’s you and Gina leaving.’ She looked at Clarke. ‘He walks to the door, tries it, and then rings the bell. I thought you’d forgotten something, so I didn’t even check the spyhole. I won’t make that mistake again.’

She talked them through the home invasion, her jaw tightening as she relived the incident.

‘He seems to be listening at the bedroom door,’ Clarke commented at one point. ‘Is Cheryl talking to him?’

‘Telling him to sod off,’ Pelham stated. But Clarke had noticed Cheryl Haggard raise her head slightly to look in her sister’s direction.

‘Are you sure about that, Stephanie?’ Clarke asked.

‘Of course.’

‘I told him we’d talk – not right then, but sometime.’ Cheryl’s voice caused all three of them to turn towards her.

‘Which would be a huge mistake,’ Pelham stressed.

Cheryl unfolded herself, picked up her mug and joined them at the table. She seemed interested in the iPad.

‘You sure?’ her sister asked solicitously, receiving a nodded reply. Not that there was much more to see. The whole drama had lasted only a couple of minutes.

‘What’s happening now?’ Clarke enquired as Francis Haggard stabbed his finger towards his sister-in-law.