‘Robb came running when her friend screamed. Unfortunately, the assailant was wearing a mask. But, yes, we now have two new witnesses.’ Tailby beamed proudly, as if he had just created the witnesses himself out of a washing-up liquid bottle and a few bits of string.

‘We’ve traced his approach route and we have some tyre tracks, plus reported sightings of a red Renault in the vicinity. Progress. It’s progress at last.’

Tailby indicated a photograph of Karen Tavisker, and they all looked at it as if she were their latest pin-up.

‘The other point is that Karen Tavisker lives out of the area and was on a passing visit. There seems little doubt that, in this case at least, the victim was chosen at random. Now DI Hitchens has a bit of news to share with you that may or may not be related.’

‘This morning we’ve heard from Greater Manchester Police,’ said Hitchens. ‘They inform us that they are seeking a suspect who could be in our area. His name’s Darren Howsley. They badly want to interview him about a series of attacks on women in the Oldham area. They say he has family connections in Derbyshire, having lived with an aunt at Chelmorton for a few years as a teenager. We’ve had his photo and details faxed over, and they’ll be in your files shortly.’

‘Is this particularly relevant?’ asked someone.

‘It is if you look at the nature of the incidents. These women were attacked while walking in the hills outside Oldham. The Saddleworth area.’

‘Just like our man.’

‘Right.’

‘The other thing is that he seems to have been missing from their patch for at least three weeks.’

‘Great.’

‘Apart from that little tidbit, it’s a question of going over old ground again, I’m afraid,’ said Tailby. ‘Roadside stops, questionnaires, appeals in the media. We need to involve the community. We’re getting serious pressure now. So we have to put pressure on in return, let people see we’re doing something. We revisit everyone who hasn’t been eliminated. If they were in the area and can’t account for their movements, then coincidence is abolished as far as I’m concerned.’

‘I can think straight away of two who won’t have alibis, except for each other,’ said Hitchens.

‘You mean the travellers in the quarry, Paul.’

‘It’s time we did something about them. Bring them both in. Their initial statements are useless. We should make them go through everything again and let HOLMES sniff out some inconsistencies.’

‘What’s the relationship between those two?’ asked Tailby. ‘Is there a sexual liaison?’

‘Possibly, sir. There’s certainly something not quite right there,’ said Fry.

‘No,’ said Cooper.

‘Ah? Why do you sound so sure, Cooper?’

‘It isn’t in their philosophy. They have different beliefs to us.’