“Cheers. I’m sorry it’s not more.”

“Oh, well, my philosophy is to take your wins where you can get them. Thank you, Detective Sergeant. I do appreciate all that very much. And I am now madly curious to know about this proposal.”

“It’s...perhaps not a proposal. More of a challenge.”

“I struggle to resist those,” Wildsmith said. “As you know. Go on.”

Aaron took a deep breath. “How would you feel about a blind test of your abilities?”

“Meaning?”

“I’d like you to look at some writing from a number of potential suspects in a case, and give me your opinion.”

Wildsmith opened his mouth, then hesitated. “Is it a murder? A Molesworth thing?”

“I don’t know.”

“Sorry?”

“I don’t know what the case is, or any of the people involved. And it’s ongoing. Nobody knows who the culprit is, except himself. Or herself.”

“Oh. So I can’t draw any information out of you with my—” Wildsmith wiggled his fingers to indicate mystical powers. “And, what, you want me to look at a lot of suspects and pick the villain for you? Seriously?”

“I’d like you to give your opinion, which I won’t pass on to anyone until the case is resolved by normal means, and never if it isn’t solved. This will not be part of the investigation process in any way. It’s purely a test.”

“For what purpose?”

“Satisfying my curiosity,” Aaron said. “You’ve made remarkable claims and shown remarkable results. I’d like to see you repeat them in a controlled manner.”

“Um.” Wildsmith frowned. “Let me think about this. You’ve got samples of all the suspects’ hands? Ones written after the crime?”

“I’ll get them.”

“Are you going to tell them what it’s for?”

He certainly was not. Aaron quashed an ethical qualm. “There’s no need for anyone to know, since they won’t be used in the police investigation.”

Wildsmith scowled. “They’d better not be.”

“You don’t trust your conclusions?”

“I’m not a nark, and I’m not doing your job for you.”

“You’re not being asked to; I dread to think what a defence lawyer might do with your involvement. I’m not working that case at all, and I won’t pass your comments on to the man who is until it’s resolved. That would be entirely wrong.”

“I’d want that in writing,” Wildsmith said. “Not that I doubt your word, but just in case.”

“That’s fair. So will you do it?”

Wildsmith made a face. “Mph. I feel like I’m taking rather a risk here.”

“Why? If you can do as you claim...”