Jane returned to her desk and continued checking through reports and statements until she got a call-out from a uniformed officer about a disturbance at the exclusive Mulberry handbag shop off the Brompton Road. A customer had attempted to run from the shop with a handbag and had inadvertently caused a taxi to swerve into an on-coming vehicle. Although no one was hurt, the taxi driver was furious, and the other vehicle had severe damage down the passenger side.

By the time Jane arrived at the scene, traffic police were already taking particulars and two members of staff had taken the woman back into the shop. She was extremely abusive and had tried to punch and kick her way out of the shop again. Jane tried to calm her down enough to take a statement. In the end she was more shocked by the price of the handbag than the fact that this middle-aged woman had risked getting herself seriously injured by running in front of the taxi. She took all the necessary particulars but the woman was not taken into custody because she agreed to pay for the handbag.

Well, at least I got a break from sitting at my desk looking through tedious reports, Jane reflected.

*

Gary Dors hurried up to her as she walked into the station.

‘Holy shit! You’ve missed the panic going on here. Just before you left, Spence walked into the most horrific murder scene over at Onslow Square.’

‘What? You’re joking.’

‘I’m bloody not. He called in for forensics, pathologists and a doctor.’

‘Is he still over there?’ Jane asked.

‘No, he’s up in the incident room, and more uniforms have been ordered to cordon off the murder site.’

Jane went into the incident room. Spencer was on the phone, his hair looking even untidier than usual.

‘Detective Chief Inspector Tyler is at the scene, but he wants a pathologist present as soon as possible. The two we’ve tried to contact are not available. Yes, it is a fucking emergency! Sorry . . . sorry for swearing, but it’s just been a nightmare. Thank you very much.’

Spencer slammed down the phone and turned to Jane. ‘You will not fucking believe it. We’ve had to cordon off half the street. There’s blood everywhere and the forensic team, AKA Paul Lawrence, is trying to keep everyone from tramping all over it.’

‘Is it a murder?’ Jane asked, taking her coat off.