Fowler took just a fraction of a second on that. Joel couldn’t fault his self-control. “And I specifically don’t believe that graphology can tell anyone what you supposedly said of my cousin. How would that work? Did his handwriting look different to normal?”

“Since that’s the only time I’ve seen his handwriting, I really couldn’t—oh, was that meant to be a trap? Jolly good. But pointless, because I’m not lying. I’ve told you what I do, and if you don’t believe me, that’s your problem. You can watch me all day and night and you won’t find me sending out spies, or picking pockets for information or whatever else you suspect. I’m just good with handwriting.”

“How?” Fowler demanded.

Joel leaned back. “Before we continue this, Detective Sergeant, we had an agreement. You were going to tell me who wrote those papers.”

“No—” Fowler said. It sounded involuntary, almost like he’d tried to cut it off.

“Yes. I agreed to talk to you on that basis, so you can make a down payment now. If you’re going to change the deal, the door’s behind you.”

He saw the twitch of feeling on Fowler’s face, annoyance quickly leashed. “Very well. The first paper was written by my brother-in-law.”

Joel nodded approvingly. “Good choice. Decent chap. I’d let him marry my sister.”

“My sister didn’t give me a say in the matter,” Fowler observed. “He has, by the way, just dug her a rose bed.”

“That’s nice?”

“You specifically said a rose bed. You said he wouldn’t bring her flowers, but—”

“Good Lord, man, you can’t imagine I could tell that from his hand,” Joel said. There was no bottom to most people’s credulity but he’d expected different from Fowler, somehow.

“Of course I don’t. That’s why I’m here. I want to know how you knew that.”

“I didn’t know that. It’s an example I use a lot because people grasp it. I say, this is someone who does practical things to show love, he’s not one for gestures. So he won’t buy you flowers, but he will dig you a rose bed. People understand examples better than abstract words.”

“Why roses specifically?”

“Because I don’t know anything about flowers, that’s why. I couldn’t spot a dahlia in a police identity parade, but my family home had a rose bed.”

Fowler exhaled. “And roses are about the most popular flower in the country, so you’ve a good chance of the example striking a chord. I dare say that’s very persuasive to clients.”

“Are you suggesting I should use metaphors that are completely alien to people’s experience?” Joel enquired. “Anyway: brother-in-law, how nice. More importantly, what about the third one? Have you reported— No, wait, you’re a rozzer. Have you arrested him?”

“As it happens.”