DI Arnold had returned to the station that morning and had brought in a large box of jam doughnuts for everyone before catching up on developments with Tyler.

Spencer was now munching one as he sat at his desk, checking the morning’s assignments. He was to interview Mandy Pilkington first thing and Jane was to travel to Ascot to talk to Justine Harris. He had still not sifted through all the scraps of papers he had removed from Foxley’s office and was about to tip them out of the plastic bag he was keeping them in when DI Arnold, carrying a bulging briefcase, walked out of Tyler’s office.

‘Morning, guv, glad to have you back. Feeling better?’ Spencer asked.

‘Yes. It was an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemies. They say it’s as bad as giving birth, having kidney stones removed. I just hope that’s the end of it.’

‘I’m sure we all hope so, too,’ Spencer said.

Arnold moved closer to Spencer’s desk. ‘You’re interviewing Mandy Pilkington at Clapham? That could be interesting. What have you got there?’ Arnold indicated the plastic bag full of crumpled paper.

‘I removed it all from Foxley’s waste bin yesterday. I’ve still got to sift through it to see if there’s anything of interest.’

‘Right, well, we want that missing diary, so that has to be a priority. You need to get the secretary, Julia Summers, interviewed tomorrow as well.’

If Arnold was attempting to prove he was up to speed on the investigation, Spencer wasn’t impressed.

Arnold then turned to everyone in the room.

‘Thank you all for your good wishes. I’m off to see my doctor. I know I still have a lot of catching up to do but I shall be back later.’

Spencer said nothing. Nobody else appeared to be concerned that DI Arnold was leaving after only a few hours at the station. He shoved the plastic bag into a drawer and then, with a sigh, took it out again.

If I don’t do it now, I’m never going to do it, he thought.

A number of the crumpled notes had no time or date on them but referenced horse racing bets. There was also a partly typed memo regarding a contract for a film. It appeared to have been written the week before his death. There were numerous receipts from restaurants, one relating to dog food delivery and a torn bank statement for two cash withdrawals of £2,000 and £3,000. There appeared to be no indication of anything particularly suspicious, but Spencer would investigate the cash withdrawals and find out if there was anything significant about the film contract.

*