After the conversation with Jerry Moore, they called Faye Graham’s boss at Fisher & Wright Tax Accountants in Bristol. It was equally enlightening.

‘Faye was a phenomenal accountant,’ said John Fisher, the firm’s managing partner. He wore a crisp white shirt, a thickly knotted grey tie and a suit jacket. ‘We thought we’d struck gold with her but, to be brutally honest, she turned out to be a bit of a nightmare.’ Fisher described how both colleagues and clients had complained about Faye’s unreasonable demands and dismissive treatment over the years. One client refused to work with her after it transpired she’d been over-claiming on the expenses attached to their account. She hadn’t been stealing as such, but she’d opted for expensive lunches, and taxis over trains. ‘I never saw it myself, but my secretary, Lisa, said Faye could be very intimidating. People in the office were scared of her. It was a relief when she left to start a family. I think that suited her better. She always talked about how happy she was at home.’

Bloom noted Jameson’s raised eyebrows and tried to keep her expression neutral.

‘There’s definitely something off about these people,’ she said afterwards. ‘Lana’s been an absent and somewhat irresponsible mother. Harry described his wife as vile and her boss thought she was trouble. Grayson’s tutor said he’d threatened to report him for incompetence. And Stuart’s boss described him as a manipulative bully.’

Jameson shuddered theatrically. ‘Yeah, but that’s what happens when you look at people under a microscope.’

‘Well, yes, I expect if I took a look at you …’ Bloom said with a smile.

‘Explains why you’re such a closed book. No one gets to analyse you, do they?’

‘I have no idea what you mean.’

‘Course you don’t, Mrs I’ve-got-my-private-life-locked-up-tight.’

Bloom glared at him and he chuckled and held up his hands. ‘I had to have a little dig about before we started working together. I had to check you weren’t dodgy, didn’t I? Don’t look at me like that. You did the same, no doubt.’

‘I certainly did not.’

Jameson returned to his desk and opened up one of the tabloid websites.

‘So you and Jamie Bolton have gone viral, I see.’ He waited for Bloom to look across at his screen before pressing Play. ‘The girl’s father did an interview outside the court.’

A red-faced man in an ill-fitting suit spoke into the camera. ‘The psychologist told them that a twenty-five-year-old man grooming my ten-year-old daughter was normal, and they bought it. Bloody disgusting. What’s the world coming to when they take the word of cranks like that over the facts?’

Bloom sighed. ‘That explains the journalist outside.’

‘What? Here?’