‘Hell, no! She’s about three hundred fifty pounds! Besides, Charles Foxley was her cash cow. It was only after I told her the only person I was interested in was him, and I didn’t want to know the names of any other clients, that she started to open up. Foxley was not just a regular client, he was obsessive. He would go there three or four times a week. Mandy Pilkington said that he would go at lunchtime, early evening and often very early in the morning, but never at the weekends. He only liked obese women and it was sometimes hard finding the right women at short notice.’

Spencer opened the file. ‘These are just a few photographs showing what she has on offer, most of them from magazines. But our victim liked the shit beaten out of him.’

There was an odd silence in the room as they looked at the photographs and took on board this latest bizarre development.

‘OK,’ Tyler said. ‘Let’s take a break and reconvene as soon as we get the footage from tech support. This is all very interesting, but it still doesn’t give us a suspect. We’ve all got work to do.’

‘I’ll organize a TV and a video player, since the station doesn’t have one,’ Arnold volunteered.

‘Good, Tim. And see if you can get a reasonably sized one so we can get a decent picture,’ Tyler replied.

Jane and Spencer hung back while everyone left. Spencer turned to Jane.

‘He only did half a day yesterday then scurried off home. Now he’s so far up Tyler’s arse . . . He pisses me off.’

‘For goodness’ sake, Spence, give him a break. He’s lost quite a bit of weight and he looks pale.’

Spencer shook his head. ‘Apparently having kidney stones is as painful as giving birth! Give me strength.’

‘I am not getting into this with you, Spence.’

‘Fine,’ Spencer shrugged. ‘Did you know the guv was interviewed this morning for BBC News? He kept it very short, just saying that a thorough investigation was underway.’

‘Wait until you read my reports about Florence Harris. More poisonous than you would believe,’ Jane replied.

Jane had started typing up her report from her visit to Ascot when Arnold stopped at her desk.

‘I pulled in a few favors and I might have something on that incident Justine Harris mentioned.’

‘What? Was Foxley involved?’