Lawrence removed his coat and placed a large cardboard evidence box on the desk nearest to the incident board. He opened the box and removed a sheet of paper.

‘I have here, way ahead of the usual time, a toxicology report on our victim. He had a very high level of cocaine in his nostrils and airways, and there was a residue of amphetamines. But although we did find a large quantity of vitamins at his flat, we did not find any amphetamines or cocaine. However, a quantity of amphetamines was discovered at Justine Harris’s house.’

Jane realized there was more to come because Lawrence appeared to be very pleased with himself. He then withdrew the blood-stained camel-hair coat from the box.

‘Although we cannot yet confirm an identical match, the blood stains on Ms. Harris’s coat are the same blood group as the blood of our victim. The same goes for the trainers. But that’s not what I wanted to share with you.’

He then held up the camel coat and put his hand in the right pocket. ‘We discovered this crucial piece of evidence while testing for the blood.’ He withdrew, in a plastic cover, a parking ticket. ‘This ticket is for Justine Harris’s car and was timed at 5:15 p.m. on the evening of the murder. The car could have remained there longer and it could have been parked there earlier, but it is confirmation that Justine Harris was at the victim’s location the day he died. The ticket was issued in Onslow Square.’

The room almost erupted. This was the piece of evidence they had all been desperate for because it meant Justine Harris had lied.

Tyler held his hands up for quiet. ‘Right, the surveillance will continue on Justine Harris’s house. Then I want Justine Harris and George Henson arrested for the murder of Charles Foxley and brought in for questioning. But it’s imperative that the child’s grandmother be present to take care of her daughter and the dogs.’

After finishing her report Jane was called to DCI Tyler’s office. ‘You’ve screwed up badly, Tennison. When you removed the coat from the property it was your job to search the pockets. Let this be a lesson for you.’

Jane flushed with embarrassment.

‘You can go now.’

She nodded, utterly crestfallen.

*

It was after ten p.m. when she let herself in and hurried up the three flights of stairs to her flat. She wanted to scream, because it didn’t matter that Lawrence may have covered for her. She had made a major error.

She had a glass of wine and lit a cigarette from her emergency packet, which was getting worryingly depleted. Then she dialed a number, and even before it was answered she knew she would regret it.