Without replying, Gifford handed the hot breakfasts to those of his officers who were present and put the cold breakfasts on the desks of those who were out and about. He was giving himself time to consider Jack’s rather insubordinate first order of the day.

‘They have gone plainclothes, sir,’ Oaks added once the silence got too much for him. ‘So, they shouldn’t get too many curtains twitching.’

Gifford had no choice but to go along with the decision for now. ‘Well . . . we’d better have something to show for it by the time the complaints hit the DCI’s desk.’

‘We will.’ Jack took a deep breath before delivering his next sentence. Gifford’s response would tell him whether this case was winnable or not. ‘Oaks and I are on our way to re-interview Maisie Fullworth.’

Gifford slammed the tray of drinks down on the nearest desk.

Jack was prepared for this reaction and he already knew what he was going to say. ‘I won’t work with one hand tied behind my back, sir. Mrs Fullworth does not know what’s best for this community – we do. The fact that she can’t see it is not my problem.’

Gifford pursed his lips, stuck out his chin and nodded. Then he took his perpetually pinging mobile out of his pocket, went into his office and shut the door. As the disgruntled DI sat down at his desk to read his messages, Jack saw right through the fat man’s suddenly very transparent façade. Gifford was not a leader, but a follower in disguise. Jack would be gentler with him from now on – not out of pity or guilt, but because he knew that there was no need to be pushy with a man who wasn’t going to push back.

*

Mrs Fullworth wasn’t happy to see the police on her doorstep again and made it very clear from the outset by not stopping what she was doing. She moved around the kitchen, sweeping zig-zag-shaped chunks of mud into the corner nearest the back door. ‘I tell Mr Fullworth to kick the step before he comes in, so that his boots drop their mud outside, but he always forgets.’ Then, almost without taking a breath, she began recapping how incredibly cooperative she’d been so far. ‘You have the contact details for all staff – the pool maintenance chap has died since then, so you can strike him from your list. You have the insurance details for the £2,000 ring – that payment took several months to arrive with me, now there’s a crime for you. Not that the ring can be replaced. That’s the crux of it all with a robbery, isn’t it? It’s so bloody personal. What else, oh yes, the cash; well, I’ll not see that again. Never mind. It was only £500 for housekeeping and the like—’