Lee ignored Jack and was looking at Mason to see if he was going to back him up, seeing that Gifford now seemed to have gone over to the other side. But Mason simply said, ‘Just listen to him, Eamonn.’ Lee frowned. He knew nothing of the violent confrontation between Mason and Jack when they found Mulhern’s mutilated body in the stable, but he could sense that Jack now had some kind of hold over his Oxford partner.

With Gifford and Mason providing backup, Jack continued. ‘If we go after De Voe now, we lose the gang, and we can’t allow that to happen just because we’re itching to move. I want the man who can push a letter opener into a dog’s brain, and who can beat Mathew with a crowbar over a pizza, and who can torture and murder Jacob Mulhern. I want Mr Smart. Look at how much we do know, sir. We’ve been right about everything: how they used an insider, how they move around, how they avoid CCTV, how they select their targets, the fact that they’re transient and not from around here . . . and now we know where they come in from and disappear to. We’re ahead of them.’

Lee looked at Jack warily. ‘What do you suggest then? And remember the final decision lies with Oxford Robbery.’

Jack thanked Lee for his trust and stepped forwards to address the room. Mason was glad to be on Jack’s side; he reckoned being against him was probably a dangerous place to be.

‘The annual equestrian event next week is too good a target for them to resist. We have time to get this right. Charlotte will need looking after, so she should stay in the care of myself and Bevan. Bevan has a good rapport with her and won’t take any shit from Charlotte when she falters, which she will. The only thing we don’t know, and I’m sure Charlotte doesn’t either, is when this gang is here, where do they hide? Why haven’t we noticed them?’ he turned to Bevan. ‘We still need to check out the transient communities and visitors that move around the Cotswolds unseen; bus drivers, casual labourers, road workers, lorry drivers, tourists.’

Bevan nodded eagerly. ‘Yes, sir. We can track and collate visitor parking permits, temporary council contracts and acquisitions, B&B booking systems—’

‘Do this for me as well, please,’ Jack interrupted. ‘When I first arrived here, Oaks and I stopped at temporary traffic lights – there are loads of them all over the place, but why? Are they legitimate? I didn’t see any roadworks being done. Has this gang got the balls to actually control the fucking traffic to clear their escape route? I wouldn’t put it past them.’

Lee held a hand up. ‘I get the impression, DS Warr, that you’re giving all of us orders, while having another plan for yourself.’