Sergeant. She hadn’t known that. It was hardly a surprise. Carol would have promoted Paula in a heartbeat if she’d had the budget for another sergeant. ‘Still,’ she said. ‘You handed it over without a fight.’

‘This one’s Bradfield through and through. The crime scene we’ve got, that’s a body dump if ever I saw one. There’s no blood to speak of, no weapon, no nothing except her clothes and her bag with her ID. Just as well that was there, because there wasn’t much left of her face. I can’t recall seeing a body so badly battered.’

‘Why are you telling me this? It’s got nothing to do with me.’

He put the mug on the floor and stuffed his hands in his pockets again. ‘See, that’s the other thing. To my mind, it’s got everything to do with you. Because she looks like you.’

For a moment, it was too bizarre to be frightening. ‘A woman with no face looks like me? Do you have any idea how mad that sounds?’

‘Not as mad as you think. She’s got the same hairstyle as you.’ He took a second look and corrected himself. ‘Well, the same hairstyle you had when a proper hairdresser used to cut it. And she’s about the same height and build as you. I tell you, Carol, when I first clapped eyes on her, for a few seconds I thought it was you. The resemblance, plus the fact I knew you were living here, right over the hill? Well, it was an understandable mistake, let me put it that way.’

‘Are you trying to scare me, DCI Franklin?’

He shook his head vigorously. ‘Of course not. I’m trying to warn you there’s a killer out there who likes women who look a lot like you. You live in a building that’s already notorious for murder. A stone-cold killer’s out there, looking for victims who fit his type. One that lives in a place with these associations could be irresistible.’ To her surprise, he looked away, staring up to where the bedroom gallery used to be. ‘One crime scene here was enough, thank you very much.’

Carol didn’t know what to say to that. She turned and crossed to one of the lancet windows cut into the thick stone walls. She could see all the way up the moor to the trees on the skyline where she’d walked the dog earlier. ‘I’ll be on my guard.’

‘That would be good,’ Franklin said. ‘Happen it’s nowt to do with you, this body turning up on your doorstep. But if it’s some evil bastard leaving a calling card, you need to take care.’ He stood up and left his mug on the sawhorse. ‘I’m glad you’ve got the dog.’

‘She does appear to be a good guard dog.’