I bend over the computer and open the folder I need, double-clicking on the PowerPoint icon. The file loads and appears for everyone to see on the big screen. Three faces stare out at the team in the room. I give them time to take them in before pointing at the young man with the wild, curly hair and patchy beard.

‘Let’s start with Ben,’ I say to the assembled officers, taking things back to basics for the new eyes present.

‘Ben is a film student who loves The Threat books but didn’t like the films, nor Reuben or Jay for bringing them into the world. When we went to question him yesterday, he ran away from us and we lost him in the city centre. Obviously, he has something to hide. We have someone watching his student accommodation around the clock with instruction to apprehend if possible.’

As I’m about to move on to the next suspect, DCI Bob stands up.

‘We don’t seriously think that this boy,’ he points to the screen, ‘would kill two people just because he doesn’t like a film, do we?’

A smattering of sniggers sound around the room and I can see why he thinks it’s ridiculous.

‘I know it sounds a bit over the top, but he also told me that he has fantasised about re-creating Anna’s murder scene from the first film. He claims that he could’ve done a far better job than Reuben managed to. He has also made a short film which has been published on the university website depicting graphic violence in which the killer uses a hammer, much like the death of…’

‘…Jason Krist.’ DCI Bob finishes my sentence and takes his seat, apparently happy with my considered response. I focus the laser beam from my pointer on Ed’s face.

‘This is Ed, the author of The Threat books. Initially, we thought he was on his way to the Scottish Highlands at the time of Anna’s murder but that has been disproven. CCTV footage shows him getting on a bus and leaving the area where Anna was murdered, a good chunk of time before her death is believed to have occurred. We have reason to believe they had a relationship, a non-romantic one, but they were still known to one another. Pages from his books have been recovered from the murder scenes. When we informed him of this, he seemed genuinely upset that he may have an indirect hand in the killings. I don’t see him as a suspect.’

Bums are starting to shuffle in seats and the room is becoming hot and stuffy. It reminds me of assembly in primary school, sitting on the dusty wooden floor, my bony bottom in agony because of the prolonged lectures from the head teacher. I am now that head teacher. I plough on, speaking a little faster for the benefit of my class.

‘Finally, Rory,’ I say, motioning to his handsome face on the projector screen. ‘Rory is Anna’s fiancé, who claims he was away on business when she was murdered. We’ve been tracking his car for the past week or so and know that he has been at Anna’s mum’s house. When we went there, she claimed he had been there to help out with some DIY. He disappeared without saying goodbye the day before Jay’s murder. There has not been a sighting of his car since, which leads us to believe that he is either using a different vehicle or relying on public transport. His company in London have confirmed that he has not returned to work. He may have returned to the capital, but we believe he is still in the area. It is imperative that we find him.’