Patrix shook his head. ‘Jeavons is … was a neat freak so everything on his desk had been carefully placed. I tried to come round his desk to look at the photograph. You know, faking an interest in him and his loved ones to grease the money-giving gears, but Dan slammed it face down, swung round in his chair and waved me away like he thought I was about to attack him with the stapler. Moron! He really didn’t like people standing behind him, so I backed off and left soon after.’

‘But that’s not strictly true, is it? Dan threatened you. He wanted back the money you owed and you weren’t happy about that,’ I bluffed, based on what I knew of Dan, to see what Patrix would do. The explosion was almost instantaneous.

‘What the hell? Who told you that?’ Patrix’s eyes narrowed. ‘It was George, wasn’t it? That shit-stirring snake. Listen, if you think I would let Jeavons get to my sons or my ex-wife for that matter, then you’re way off. How dare that bastard threaten my family? I told him I’d pay him back every penny within six weeks with all the interest he’d tacked on without telling me. And I warned him just what I’d do to him if he ever threatened me or my family again.’

Ah! I was right. Dan obviously made a habit of threatening people’s families to get what he wanted. Families, friends, loved ones – to a hagfish like Dan, they were all armour chinks to be exploited.

‘Did he back down?’ I knew the answer to that one. No way could Patrix make a man like Dan take a seat.

‘Of course.’ Patrix sat back in his chair, blinking heavily. Could it be any more obvious that he was lying? No wonder he was so shit at gambling. Anyone watching him would figure out whether or not he was bluffing in less than five seconds.

‘Dan really was a piece of work, wasn’t he?’ I replied evenly.

‘Pfft! Anyway, why were you there that night?’ asked Patrix. ‘Did he have something on you too?’

There was no way I was going to answer that.

‘Did you speak to Dan in his study again that night?’

‘Hell, no. Once was more than enough,’ said Patrix sullenly.

‘Thank you for your time, Mr Ellerman. Oh, just one last thing. What’s your opinion of Tobey Durbridge?’