‘We could find out about a plea arrangement, but with no guarantees. Do you know what that involves?’

Leo nodded. Of course he knew what it involved. The alternative was to run scared for ever, knowing that one day they’d get him, and it would probably be one of the guys he’d worked alongside that they’d send. He preferred to take control, even if that meant disappearing with a new identity; it was better than ending up with a bullet in the brain, dumped naked in some boathouse.

He made up his mind, and the officers glanced at one another, sensing as much. If he was to blow the whistle, he’d need to make it convincing.

‘I didn’t kill George Murphy.’

The pair sat up straight and waited.

‘I can tell you who I worked with and I can identify three of them.’

He reeled off dates, jobs and names, but held back on those he genuinely liked. It was rare in the business, but it did happen occasionally.

‘We need to know who is at the centre of the arrangement. Who’s in charge? There’s always a boss.’

Leo looked down at his hands.

‘I overheard a conversation between two people, but I only got one name.’

The officers waited.

‘Slater.’

The interviewing officers repeated it, making sure it was clear for the record, and moved on.

‘Tell us what happened on the second of June.’

Chapter 43

‘Why aren’t you updating HOLMES, Kelly? I knew this would happen! This investigation cannot work if you go off on your own and make decisions without me.’

‘I update you pretty much hourly.’

‘It’s not enough. Why isn’t the information about Slater on the file? Brown gave his name, clear and simple, but it doesn’t cross-reference with the Montague Club membership because you didn’t update it.’

‘For God’s sake, Matt. Calm down. Listen. I think we need to take this to the chief commissioner. This involves a whole host of very rich and powerful people. Don’t you think it odd that whoever is behind this knows pretty much what we’re doing; in fact they seem ahead of us sometimes.’

‘So what?’

‘So what? Come on! This is above my pay grade, and yours. They were all supposed to sit together at the dinner and George was due to be there too. Montague-Roland didn’t mention this little detail and neither did Tooting. Do you really want to march into a government minister’s chambers and arrest an adviser? If the press—’

She heard him sigh. ‘Technically the Murphy killing is Cumbria territory, so you’ll have to go through the proper channels, and I’ll do the same for Emily and Mike. We’ll need concrete evidence.’

‘I know. I definitely don’t want to make any premature moves. Slater’s offices are on your patch; could you stretch to surveillance?’ she asked.