I searched Whalley thoroughly, but there was nothing else of interest on him. The most common subject matter recorded on unmarked video-cassettes in plain brown wrappers is hard-core pornography. But if it was hard-core pornography my friend Whalley was after, there were easier places for him to obtain it within a few minutes’ walk of his office. He didn’t have to drive half-way across England and Wales. No. I had a distinct feeling that naked girls with thongs and spurs were not going to start performing on any video-screen this particular tape was played into. My feeling told me that the vigil of the past seventeen days had paid its first dividend.

I put the tap back in the bag. and placed it onto the seat, then I picked up my various bits of equipment, left the Cavalier and walked a couple of hundred yards back up the road to where Mavis was stopped. I opened the front passenger door, and spoke to the two men inside.

‘Can you drive back to the pub and pick up my car? I’ll stay here, but I don’t think he’s going anywhere for quite a while.’

‘Why don’t you come with us?’

‘I’ll wait – just in case he’s got any friends that come looking for him.’

‘One of us will stay if you want.’

‘No, it’s okay, I’ll do it.’ Until I’d found out where he was taking that tape, I wasn’t going to let either Whalley or the tape out of my sight for one second. I slammed shut the Morris door. Chris Allen, the driver, started up, and put the car into gear, and the car moved forward. I ran after it and tapped on the window. He stopped and wound down the window.

‘While you’re at the pub,’ I said, ‘you might get me a turkey sandwich – and ask for a double portion of parsley, preferably green, if they’ve got any.’

‘Yes, boss,’ he grinned.