I sighed. ‘Exactly. But could you make sure we’ve got protection in place for Daniel, Anna and Kirsty. I’m sure the Animal Vigilantes aren’t the killers, but they’re pretty unpleasant. And we should look again at Mandy. Maybe she found out about Gary’s relationship with Violet. Maybe she’s not what she appears. Also, I saw the Pale Child. A girl in a white dress with a doll’s face mask on. I got her mask. It’s gone to forensics.’

‘She’s a real person?’

‘She was real yesterday, and Hannah found a video of her from before Violet went missing, so it’s not just some kid cashing in on the whole thing.’

‘How odd. I thought she was supposed to be a ghost.’

‘I know. We need to find out who that girl is. Also, before I got doused in blood, Daniel was telling me about his younger brother. I can’t get hold of him, but can we check it out?’

‘I’ll look into it,’ Jai said, and headed off.

Seconds later, the door bashed open again and Fiona hotfooted it in.

‘Christ, it’s like Piccadilly Circus this morning,’ I said. ‘How am I to have my nap?’

‘Ha, ha, morning,’ Fiona said. She leaned closer and lowered her voice. ‘You know that cut above Craig’s eye?’

‘Yes. He won’t say how he got it.’

‘I heard a rumour that Jai hit him.’

‘Jai?’ I’d never seen so much as a twitch from Jai in the time I’d known him, although when I arrived, I’d been told he had very occasional violent outbursts that everyone seemed to know about but nobody had witnessed.

‘Yes,’ Fiona said. ‘Jai.’

‘But that’s ridiculous. How are we supposed to run a murder investigation when they behave like primary school children? I’m already being mobbed by their wives and girlfriends as if I’m some kind of marriage guidance counsellor.’

Fiona opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated.

‘What is it. Fiona?’

‘Just tell me if this is none of my business. But … you do know Jai doesn’t want you to stick up for his girlfriend?’

‘Sorry?’ I said.

‘I think he wants you to agree that she’s being unreasonable.’

‘But I’m not sure she is.’

‘I don’t think that’s the point,’ Fiona said. ‘But it doesn’t matter. Forget I said anything.’

I closed my eyes for a moment. I was too tired to manage the investigation, let alone deal with the labyrinthine goings-on of the team social dynamics. I could hardly tell Fiona that I worried I’d got too close to Jai. That by defending his girlfriend I was making it very clear that I was happy he’d found someone. That I wasn’t at all interested in him.