‘Of course. Fox is suspended from duty, as from this morning. They’re arranging a solicitor for him.’

‘That job is his life,’ said Cooper.

‘If the allegations are true, he’s abused his position,’ pointed out Diane Fry.

‘Owen Fox and Mark Roper were in the area at the time Jenny Weston was killed,’ said Tailby. ‘They were there.’

‘Fox knows the area better than anybody,’ said Hitchens.

‘Yes, everyone would expect to see him around. They might even be glad to see him. They would trust a Ranger, wouldn’t they?’ said Fry.

‘And Jenny Weston was killed by someone who got close to her. We said from the start it was someone she knew or trusted.’ Hitchens looked as though he felt he had made his point sufficiently. ‘Fox has a suspended sentence for an assault on a woman ten years ago. If it hadn’t been for his address turning up in the intelligence gathered by DI Armstrong’s enquiry, his background would never have been checked out. It’s unbelievable. The sort of thing that trips us up every time.’

‘He’s very highly regarded,’ said Cooper. ‘Very highly.’

‘He’s never been married,’ said Hitchens. ‘He’s a loner.’

‘He seems to get on well enough with his colleagues.’

‘With other men, you mean.’

‘For Christ’s sake!’

‘That’s enough, Cooper,’ said Tailby. ‘Let’s calm down.’

Cooper flushed. ‘But Owen Fox . . .’

Tailby sighed. ‘Yes, Cooper?’

‘Well . . .’ Cooper struggled for the words with the eyes of the DCI on him. ‘It’s just that I always thought . . . he’s on our side, sir.’

But Cooper was remembering the drawing that Helen Milner had shown him, the one by little Carly. Fathr Chistmass. But a Father Christmas who had grey trousers.

Tailby looked at him with a mixture of contempt and bewilderment. ‘On our side?’ he said. ‘Cooper, there’s no such thing.’

Ben Cooper was seething as they walked back down the corridor.

‘It’s crap, Diane,’ he said. ‘It stinks. It’s scapegoat time.’

‘Oh God, here we go. Stand by for a lecture on righteousness.’

Cooper felt his face glowing red. His hands trembled in the way they always did when he felt that surge of anger and outrage. He knew his feelings had no place at all in the rigid procedures laid down by computer packages like HOLMES.

‘It isn’t right.’

‘It doesn’t suit you, obviously,’ said Fry. ‘Did you know about Fox’s conviction for assault? No, of course you didn’t. Well, face the facts, Ben. You chose the wrong friend again.’

‘Not Owen Fox.’

‘Have you got a better idea?’

Cooper stared at Fry, started to speak, but closed his mouth. He felt his face flushing even more.

‘Ben,’ she said, ‘you look as guilty as hell. What are you up to?’

‘I think all of you are wrong,’ he said. ‘This time you’ve picked the wrong scapegoat.’