‘Alexandros and his mother have been executed. Gunshots. We were too late. I think we have enough on Sebastian to let him sweat tonight. I want to know what Tooting and Slater have to say. Someone needs to pay for this, and with Dansford dead, I can see the others walking away because there’s no way to prove their hands were dirty. I also want to send officers to Cyprus. I don’t trust the army to get to the bottom of this.’

‘That’ll take time.’ Matt’s phone rang. He listened, nodded and thanked the person on the other end.

‘Lights still burning in Hendon?’ Kelly asked. He smiled and nodded.

‘One of the vehicles coming in the other direction when Miranda Cooper’s car was crushed by the Ravensword lorry had dash cam. We’ve got a picture of the driver.’

She gave him a high five. Some good news was welcome.

‘We can’t let these bastards walk, Matt.’

‘I know. Kelly, you look knackered. Why don’t you go home. I’ve got this. We’re as far as we can be at the moment.’

‘What about the interviews of Tooting and Slater; we need to get to them before their lawyers get them released.’

‘Let me worry about that. Even if I was in London, I’d still do it by video link.’

‘Where will you sleep?’

‘There are cells underneath this place?’

‘You can’t do that,’ she protested.

‘I’m joking. I’ve booked a hotel over the road – the Castle.’

‘Twat.’

‘Thanks, Kell.’

She glared at him. She was desperate to go home and pour a glass of wine. Emotion welled up inside her, and she didn’t want Matt to see her cry. She walked away and called Johnny on the way to her car. As soon as she heard his voice, she let everything out: the copper at the cottage in Bampton, Alexandros and his poor mother, Emily, Mike…

‘I’ll go to yours now. Josie has a friend over,’ he said.

She hung up and found a tissue in her bag.

Chapter 60

In Hounslow, as Matt watched via direct screening, Philip Tooting replied ‘no comment’ to every question posed to him, at the encouragement of his lawyer.

In Camberley, Christopher Slater was leaking like a faulty tap, giving so much away they could barely keep up. None of it was on Tooting. Instead, it focused on Dame Charlotte Cross. The commissioner informed Matt that he’d be separating the inquiries, and from now on, he himself would be heading the investigation into the conduct of the Permanent Under-Secretary.

Matt leaned forward and spoke to a closed-network microphone connected to the interviewing officers questioning Slater. ‘Ask him who his contact is at the Met.’