‘Well, maybe.’

‘Yes, we always like to wipe out a fair bit of forensic evidence right at the start, don’t we? We’re well known for it. One of our more outstanding talents, you might say.’

‘I think you’re exaggerating there, sir,’ said Tailby.

‘Am I?’ said Jepson. ‘I don’t think so. Has it ever occurred to you there might be a case for keeping police officers away from a crime scene completely when a body is found? We might actually get better results that way.’

‘It’s a thought, sir,’ said Hitchens. ‘We could suggest it as a special project group for the Operational Planning Department.’

‘I’ll think about it. It was also Leach’s wife who found the earlier victim, Crew, wasn’t it?’

‘That’s correct.’

‘We mustn’t overlook any correlations that the computer throws up, Stewart.’

‘We’re not doing that, sir. I’m keeping Leach in mind until we can eliminate him.’

‘What about boyfriends of the victim?’

‘All accounted for, except for the one who wrote the note. All the others deny writing it, and their handwriting doesn’t match.’

‘And Stafford’s writing doesn’t seem to match, either.’

‘I’ve sent the samples to a handwriting expert. But at first glance, they’re quite unalike.’

‘So, a mystery boyfriend, then. I suppose that’s what you would call a start, is it?’

‘A mystery boyfriend who drives a white van?’ said Hitchens.

‘A mystery boyfriend who drives a white Transit van with a rusty wheel arch, who has something to do with animals and who possesses a sharp knife and a pair of boots that match our partial print. That would be ideal, I suppose,’ said Jepson. ‘Is that all you want for Christmas?’

‘If it’s Santa asking, I’d wish for Maggie Crew’s memories to come back as well,’ said Tailby.

‘Ah, yes. How’s Fry been getting on with her?’

‘It’s slow going, by all accounts. Crew is completely closed in on herself. Putting Fry on her was a bit of a last resort. But we can’t treat her with kid gloves for ever, not if women are going to start dying on us.’

‘Are you sure Fry’s the right person?’ said Jepson. ‘Where’s Ben Cooper today?’

‘Cooper’s on the white van team,’ said Hitchens.

‘I can’t help feeling somebody else might have been better than Fry. Cooper does at least try to understand people. He has a bit more empathy.’

‘Well,’ said Hitchens, ‘we’ve done empathy.’

‘And what about Sugden?’ asked Jepson. ‘It would be helpful to appear to be questioning a suspect. Politically helpful, I mean.’

‘We’re bringing him in now.’

‘Good. And the woman from Cheshire – Ros Daniels?’

‘Not a trace of her. It’ll take a damn sight more than empathy to find her, I’m afraid.’