‘No, you haven’t had a think? Or no, you’re not going to come?’

‘We’ll talk about it later.’

‘Oh, yes. You’re always so busy, though.’

A chorus of boos heralded the first arrival on stage of the wicked wizard, Abanazar. Within seconds, it was clear that he was being played pretty much as an evil Arab who’d accidentally wandered into a Chinese city. It certainly gave an extra edge to the lines of the opening song: ‘And if they don’t like your face, they’ll cut off your hand.’

Cooper settled a bit lower on his seat, hoping not to be recognized. Some hopes. He’d already been greeted by a dozen acquaintances as he came through the lobby.

Liz nudged him again. ‘What’s the matter?’

‘Nothing.’

‘You look shifty.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Aren’t you enjoying it?’

‘Yes, it’s great.’

‘Only, we can’t leave. Not until after my friends have been on for their bit. They’re Chinese policemen, and they don’t appear until halfway through Act Two.’

Oh, God. The Chinese policemen. There were bound to be a few bobby jokes, and people would be looking at him when they laughed.

‘No, I’m fine, I don’t want to leave. Stop talking, or people will get annoyed with us.’

Every panto had its stock characters. There was always a very obvious villain – in this case, Abanazar, who had a large and challenging role, especially if he was going to carry off that turban and scimitar convincingly. And, of course, there was the pantomime dame. This Widow Twankey ran a Chinese laundry in the time-honoured way, allowing for the usual hoary old jokes about being closed for sock-taking, and so on.

Cooper turned to his programme, squinting to read the print in the subdued light of the theatre. Many of the names of the cast were familiar to him. If he didn’t know the performers themselves, he’d often come across their parents. Or, in the case of the children’s chorus, their grandparents. But most of them were individuals he’d made contact with in a positive way. Pantomime seemed to attract the respectable classes.

‘What are you thinking about, Ben?’

‘Nothing,’ he whispered. ‘I’m just looking at the programme.’

‘You’re not thinking about work?’

‘No, of course not.’

‘No “of course” about it. I know you.’

Reading down the list, Cooper found the names of the Chinese police officers. Apart from Inspector Chu, the performers were women. Their names were all local, too – Beeley, Holmes, Wragg, Marsden, Brindley. The latter was probably related to the actor playing Abanazar, since they had the same surname. He wasn’t sure which of them he was supposed to be watching out for.

‘Liz, what are your friends called again?’

‘Cheryl Hague and Harriet Marsden.’

‘Hague? Do I know her?’

‘Probably.’

‘Is she the attractive blonde we met in the pub last week?’