‘There’s no difference. I can’t see his hair. The top of DC Oaks’s head is cut off by the top of the mirror, just like the burglar’s was. If anything, DC Oaks is a little taller than the man I saw.’ Jack then asked about size and shape and Maisie confirmed that Oaks and her unidentified burglar were of a similar build.

Back in the kitchen, Oaks remained silent as he prepared himself for a well-deserved bollocking on the drive to the hospital. Jack thanked Maisie for being so helpful and then, quite out of the blue, he asked her what she wanted to be. Maisie glanced at her mum before saying that she’d probably go into the law, like both of her parents. Jack was not deterred by her passionless answer. ‘Your mum mentioned that your Aunt Lisa is an art therapist. Is the artwork in your old bedroom yours?’ She nodded with a tentative smile. Jack knew full well that it was, and he also knew that Mrs Fullworth would hate what he was about to say. ‘You’re very talented. What does your Aunt Lisa think?’ Maisie confirmed Jack’s suspicions that no one outside of the house had ever seen her work. ‘You should show her. I don’t take after my parents. I take after my Uncle Simon. Took me a long time to find my path, Maisie, but, when I did . . . it’s liberating. Take very good care of yourself.’ Jack threw Maisie a wink, which made her smile properly. ‘Smile more, Maisie Fullworth. It suits you.’

On the drive to the hospital, Jack had no time for Oaks’s apologies about his error in interviewing Maisie.

‘We now know that the person who broke into Maisie’s house was about my build but was probably shorter. I’m so sorry, sir. We’ve been on the wrong track with this for months.’

‘Get over yourself,’ Jack said briskly. ‘You’ll make worse mistakes than that. Anyway, you didn’t waste my time, you wasted DI Gifford’s.’ He thought for a moment. ‘Maisie could even have seen a woman, don’t you think?’

Oaks pulled up just outside the A & E department of Cheltenham General. ‘Tread carefully with Nathaniel,’ Jack warned as they got out. ‘He’s protective of Mathew, so he’ll let you know he’s in charge. And that’s fine. Your presence is to let Nathaniel know that the second Mathew’s ready to speak, we’re ready to listen. Ignore George Barrowman altogether – he’ll no doubt ignore you. He’s not the one we need to keep on-side anyway; that’s Sally.’ Then Jack got back into the driver’s seat and Oaks headed for A & E. As Jack pulled away, he shouted one more instruction. ‘Text me every hour. Whether there’s anything to say or not.’

*