They eased their heavy backpacks off their shoulders and sat, placing them on the ground in front of them, watching the interaction between the people in the park and the prehistoric-looking creatures in silence for some moments. Both of them took several photographs. Then, still holding her phone up and without looking at Laura, Cassie said, quietly, ‘Someone is following us.’

Laura replied, ‘Oh yes? Is he fit?’

‘I’m serious.’

Laura gave her a sideways look. Her friend wasn’t smiling. ‘One of the guys from last night?’

Cassie shook her head. ‘No, but I’ve got a feeling I’ve seen him before. Creepy. Don’t look now, he’s on that bench, the far side of the tree in the middle of the path, with the turquoise building behind him.’

Laura waited a few seconds, then with her head still tilted towards her friend, her eyes safely concealed behind her sunglasses, glanced in the direction Cassie said. A man, maybe in his forties though it was hard to tell his age from this distance, wearing a blue baseball cap, sunglasses, T-shirt and jeans was sitting alone on a bench, seemingly absorbing the atmosphere. A camera with a long lens lay on his lap.

‘Blue cap?’ she queried.

‘Maybe I’m being paranoid, but I swear I’ve seen him before. And more than once. I wasn’t going to say anything, but it’s very weird that now he’s here.’

‘We’re following a pretty common tourist route, C. Maybe he’s just in sync with us?’

‘Maybe,’ Cassie said, dubiously.

‘Maybe he has two penises?’

Cassie grinned. ‘Now, that would make him more interesting!’

‘Shall I go over to him and ask him how many he has?’

‘No way!’ She hesitated. ‘Oh, shit.’

‘What?’

‘Don’t look. He’s taking a photograph of us.’

53

Tuesday 14 May

A sturdy, confident-looking middle-aged man, with close-cropped hair, was led into court by an usher. He was dressed in a navy-blue suit, white shirt and burgundy tie and had a friendly demeanour. He entered the witness stand, stated his name when requested and took the oath as if well used to doing this.

Stephen Cork stood up. ‘Haydn Kelly, could you please tell the court your professional qualifications.’

‘Yes, of course.’ He turned to the jury. ‘I was elected Dean of the Faculty of Podiatric Surgery completing a full three-year term of office. I still have supported links with the University of Plymouth where I initially qualified before undertaking and completing my Fellowship in London. I have received university accreditation as an expert witness. I was also the founding chair of a forensic podiatry group. I have contributed to book chapters and written and compiled a textbook on Forensic Gait Analysis.’

Cork remained standing. ‘And in 2000 you created Forensic Gait Analysis. It was during July of that same year when it was first admissible as expert evidence in criminal law, at the Old Bailey, London. Is that correct?’