Tyler opened the door for Walker and the others to leave. He looked around the faces in the room as he listed the officers required to remain at the station. Jane and Spencer were among them. He left the door open as he walked out.

The canteen ran out of hot meals and were now making sandwiches as the detectives waited to have their one-on-one sessions. There were a few disgruntled moans; some of them, like Jane and Spencer, had been on duty since early morning. The meetings scheduled were taking place in two bare interview rooms, in Tyler’s office and in a corner of the incident room where DI Arnold’s now empty desk was.

Jane saw Spencer heading into an interview room with Bellamy. She wished she had been allocated him, but instead she was instructed to meet with Lucas Miller in Tyler’s office. It was now after nine p.m. Miller had a large bound paper notebook and beside it there were stacks of Jane’s official reports. He gestured for her to sit down, and it felt as if she was back in school. Miller had a habit that she recalled an unpleasant geography teacher shared: when he looked at you, he didn’t meet your eyes but focused on your forehead.

‘I’ve been reading your report, Tennison. It’s very interesting. I also now have the warrant to search Justine Harris’s house in Barnes. As you live near Baker Street, I will collect you at 8:30 a.m. sharp.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘The reason I’d like you with me is that I have read your interview with Mr. Foxley’s ex-wife.’

‘I see.’

‘So can you explain the reason you thought the warrant was necessary?’

‘I felt that, with her mother present, along with her friend George Henson, she was not being very forthcoming. She was also present at the victim’s flat.’

‘I know that,’ Miller snapped.

Jane swallowed, then continued. ‘I just felt that, with the information regarding the small shoe-size footprint, we should search her house.’

Miller gave a disparaging wave of his hand. ‘That should have been done a long time ago.’

‘Yes, but I don’t know if you are aware, sir, that Ms. Harris attempted suicide. We were therefore delayed in interviewing her.’

‘Yes, yes,’ he said curtly. ‘Now tell me, do you believe it was a deliberate delaying tactic and her suicide attempt wasn’t serious?’

‘She had to have her stomach pumped, and you know she had attempted suicide on two previous occasions.’

‘Yes, well, obviously she isn’t very good at it,’ he said sarcastically. ‘Now, I’d like you to take me through the entire interaction with her, if you wouldn’t mind.’

Jane nodded. ‘May I get my notebook, sir?’