They reached the car and set off back north, travelling through the valley and around Derwent Water in silence. They had so many cheerful memories of this lake, and the many others, that it was difficult to marry the vision out of the car window with their current brief. When they turned off the Keswick roundabout and headed south, down the A591, Kelly began to get butterflies in her stomach. DC Emma Hide called from Eden House and informed her that the CCTV cameras at the climbing centre had picked up a Fiat campervan several times over the last couple of weeks. She’d checked the times and they coincided with when Johnny’s daughter had her lessons.

Kelly felt sick. ‘Are the plates visible?’

‘Yes, and I’ve run it through the ANPR. It’s not registered or insured, but there are several hits of it travelling around the Lake District. I’ve got a few grainy images but the ID of the driver is unclear. It has been picked up on the A66 both ways several times, and one was the Friday ninth of September.’

‘Mary’s murder.’

‘As well as north and south on the A591 on Tuesday thirteenth.’

‘Carry’s murder.’

‘There was a hit this morning on the Keswick roundabout, but we don’t know which exit it took. Then again at four thirty p.m., east on the A66.’

‘That is excellent work, Emma. Thanks.’

She felt Johnny’s glance. ‘Things are moving. I need that campervan to be at this address.’

‘What if it is? Are you prepared?’

The news from Emma about the CCTV was compelling. She made the decision to request an armed response vehicle to attend the farmhouse, and it was granted. The squad car was to wait at the gates, and the ARV would approach the property first. They’d rendezvous at the entrance. The team in Penrith was available.

When they turned off the road which led to Great Raven Farm, Kelly noticed two things. Fresh tyre tracks in the mud, and the fact that the gates were wide open. The ARV team was moments behind and pulled up silently. Introductions were made hastily and the mission discussed. Kelly laid out her objectives and what she knew of the suspected residents of the property, as well as the fact that there was potentially a fourth victim inside. She described Jock Harris. She took care to describe Kirk Junker and showed them his photofit, along with the photo of Daphne and Jock.

‘If the suspect is inside the property then he needs to be apprehended straight away. In all honesty, I don’t know what we’ll find. You’ll need forced entry equipment. A squad car has already checked the property before and got no response from any potential occupants. However, they did report several locked barns.’