“Get up there, Anik, and tell us what you’ve got to add.”

Anik slowly stepped up to the front of the room, next to Jack.

“Erm . . . Well, Missing Persons has still not given us anything, but I found a . . . erm . . .” He went back to his desk, grabbed his file and raced back to the front of the room. “I’ve been doing some background on John Maynard, the builder who started the conversion work on The Grange for Dolly Rawlins before she died—obviously—and he’s still living in Aylesbury. Also, Jim Douglas, the signalman on duty on the night of the train robbery—I’ve got his current address too. Both of these men have no criminal record and no obvious long-term connection to each other or the women, so, you know, as independent witnesses, they might be useful for us to speak to and see what they recall from the night of the robbery.”

Ridley stood up and, as he walked to the front of the room, Jack and Anik parted like the Red Sea and made room for him to take center stage.

“I’m going to arrange for us to go back to Aylesbury tomorrow to see the scene again. Anik, arrange for us to interview Maynard and Douglas while we’re there. Jack, I’ll get the local station down in Taunton to go and see Connie Stephens. I think you traipsing up and down the country is not a good use of your time.”

Jack’s brain silently went into overdrive. Fuck! He had to go to Burnham-on-Sea to see his Aunt Fran.

Ridley continued, oblivious to Jack’s dilemma. “Today, I need you all back on Missing Persons please—expand the search radius from Aylesbury. Jack, my office.”

Jack shut Ridley’s office door behind him. This was the only other time Ridley’s door was ever closed—when he was in a private meeting. Ridley stood by his expanse of windows, with his back to Jack.

“I don’t need to know exactly where you are all the time, Jack, but I do at least need to know what island you’re on.” Ridley moved behind his desk, stuck his hands deep in his pockets and held Jack’s gaze. “I mean, that’s just about respect, isn’t it?”

Jack had no choice. “My parents set off on a world cruise yesterday. It’s unlikely Dad will come back.”

“And you didn’t tell me this, because . . . ?” Jack didn’t answer. “I won’t tolerate officers who try to pull the wool over my eyes and don’t take the job seriously. I don’t think you do take this job seriously, Jack, that’s one problem me and you have got.” His tone softened. “How long’s the cruise?”

“Four months.”

“That’s no time at all, is it? I’m sorry, Jack, I really am. You OK to be here?”

“Yes, sir. I want to work. In fact, I’d like to be the one who goes to Taunton and interviews Connie Stephens. If I hadn’t seen Ester face to face yesterday, I’d never have figured out that Connie’s B&B was probably going to be called The Grange. That came out of a bit of chat over a cuppa. I’m getting to know these women one by one and so, I’d like to keep control of all the interviews if that’s OK with you, sir.”