‘It’s a long way from London to here, Father. And the victims in London aren’t what you’d call “decent women”.’

‘I understand that, of course. What I mean is that Miss Flannery . . . Alice . . . was, as I have said, vulnerable.’

‘So would you wait around Portobello Bridge for other supposedly vulnerable young women to see them safely home?’ Swallow asked with more than a hint of sarcasm.

‘No, of course not. Miss Flannery was special.’

‘The truth is that you had an interest in her that would be, shall we say, rather unpriestly, didn’t you?’ Swallow said.

The air of confidence seemed to dissipate from young Father James Cavendish. His shoulders slumped. The easy grin was replaced with a deep frown.

‘I cared for her, yes. But strictly in a spiritual way . . . a pastoral way. She was so full of promise, of ambition, from such a difficult background. I wanted to protect her, to see her safe and see her take hold of the bright future that might have been hers.’

‘Do you take a similar interest in other young girls in the parish? Would you be solicitous of others too?’

Cavendish’s face flushed with anger again.

‘I resent the implication of what you are saying there, Detective Inspector. I try to help young people where I can, Mr Swallow. That is part of my vocation. Jesus said “suffer the little children to come unto me”, as you’ll know from your catechism.’

‘I don’t think Jesus had in mind the kind of close attention you were paying to Alice Flannery.’ Swallow hardened his voice. ‘We know that she resented it too. So did members of her family.’

Cavendish spread his hands in a gesture of emphasis.

‘So that’s it then? That’s what you call evidence? That’s why you tell me I’m a suspect? Members of her family indeed. It’s that young man Daniel Flannery, isn’t it? Well, I can tell you, Inspector, he’s a very strange young man indeed. And I can tell you furthermore that absolutely nothing improper ever occurred or was in contemplation in my contacts with his sister, Inspector. I can assure you of that.’

Swallow could see Pat Mossop struggling to keep up with his note-taking. He paused for a few moments.

‘You describe Daniel Flannery as a “strange young man”. Would you care to elaborate on that for us?’

Cavendish shrugged.

‘I’m always pleased to see a young man who is committed to his faith. But Daniel Flannery is almost fanatical in his Catholicism. He will often stop me and quote to me from spiritual books he has read but for which he has had no training.’

‘Are you saying he is something of an extremist?’ Swallow asked.

‘That would not be an inappropriate term.’