‘Now look. There’s a projected timeline for the analysis, testing and production of a drug that is referred to over and over again as Compound P. That’s what Tilly Knight told me about, but she didn’t know what it was.’ She opened a new file. ‘This is Dame Charlotte’s correspondence with Christopher Slater, who, after the colantropine affair, took on several grey roles in large companies before finding himself an adviser to a board working for the UN on the impact of the opium trade in Afghanistan. After that, he got a position in a US pharmaceutical company and then turned up on the staff of Permanent Under-Secretary Robyn Hastings at DEFRA. By the way, Robyn Hastings and Dame Charlotte Cross have both been to the Montague Club recently, and wrote on government-headed paper to thank the man who invited them, Philip Tooting. Philip has been nothing if not thorough in keeping records, should he need them.’

‘Why would he be so stupid?’

‘Well, I suppose you’ve got to keep this lot somewhere, and he wouldn’t want his wife finding it. Tooting’s secretary said that Professor Cooper set up a private computer in his office. She remembers it well because it was not a standard Ravensword model.’

‘So why sack her? That’s asking for trouble, given what she knew.’

‘She might not have known the extent of it, but went looking after she was sacked.’

‘Clever woman.’

‘But she paid with her life.’

‘It looks that way. We still haven’t found the driver of the Ravensword lorry, so it will be difficult to prove.’

‘I think we’ve got more than enough to bring in Tooting.’

‘I agree, but it will probably be taken off us.’

‘I know.’ Kelly spoke with resignation. She hoped they would be able to stay in charge of some elements of the inquiry, but something involving government departments, civil servants and MoD personnel was bound to be given to at least a superintendent.

‘We need to start work on our case to put it to the commissioner.’

‘How do we split it? This lot will take us until the small hours. What if George was willingly involved in all of it and got burned?’

‘Possible. Let’s find out.’

Matt’s phone buzzed with a call from the station in Shoreditch where the three suspected accomplices of Leo Brown were being held.

‘We have another witness mentioning Colonel Dansford, and also an admission that they spoke to some guy who rowed up to the beach at Allerdale House.’

‘Corroborating what Graeme said?’

‘Yes.’

Kelly was elated to hear any shred of evidence that Graeme might be telling the truth.

‘But they also said that the old man – positively ID’d as George Murphy – was not alone. He was talking to another man much younger than him. It’s enough. I’m sending units to the lot of them.’

‘Did they have a name?’