‘Are you aware that you cannot type anything into an iPhone wearing gloves? The keys don’t work on pressure—there has to be an electrical contact between the fingers and the conductive touch-screen surface. Fingers that will leave fingerprints—and maybe even some DNA from the person’s sweat.’ I paused. ‘Will they be your prints, Anton, on Gary Bremner’s iPhone? Or your DNA? Or maybe some from one of your henchmen? Do you really think they won’t give you up if they get charged with his murder? They as good as told me at Catterick that it was you who had sent them.’

There was a slight tightening of the skin around his eyes. I now had his full attention. But I wasn’t finished with him yet.

‘Did you know that Gary Bremner called me nine days ago?’

Valance stared at me and there was a hardly perceptible shake of his head.

‘He was worried that someone might try and kill his horses. He told me all about your little trainers’ premium ruse and the threats you made to him because he wouldn’t pay up. I even drove to Middleham to see him. That was last Sunday, a week ago today, the day after the fire and the day before he was found dead. He didn’t talk to me about suicide then—quite the reverse—he was determined to nail the bastard who had burned his stables and killed his best horse, and he also told me the name of the bastard responsible. It was your name, Mr Anton Bastard Valance. So what have you got to say for yourself?’

He said nothing. He just went on glaring at me, and I wondered what was going on in his brain behind those staring eyes.

He finally cleared his throat. ‘I’m sure I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about. Anyway, anythin’ that you may claim Gary Bremner said to you is irrelevant. I’ve been told it would just be ’earsay, and would be inadmissible in court.’

‘You clearly don’t know your hearsay law very well, do you, Anton? I thought the same as you, but I’ve since checked. It may have been the case before, but the Criminal Justice Act of 2003 provides for certain conditions when hearsay evidence can be considered by the courts, especially if the original witness is unable to give it in person, such as because he’s been murdered.’

And I only knew that because I had looked it up on the internet as I was waiting for him to emerge from his massage.

I changed tack.

‘Do you gamble much, Anton? On the horses?’

‘I ’ave the occasional flutter.’

‘With a regular bookmaker? Or perhaps you do it online, maybe on an exchange such as Betfair? Do you have your own online account or do you use one in someone else’s name?’

‘That’s none of your fuckin’ business.’