‘Ben,’ he went on, ‘I’d like you to see Step Conti and April Dumont again. I want to know what sort of a person Step is. And I’d like you to press April on whether she really left with another man.’

‘Sure,’ Lightman agreed.

‘Domnall,’ he added, ‘I want you back on those traffic cameras. Make sure we have licence plates for Niall Reakes, Step Conti and April Dumont. Does Louise Reakes have her own car?’

‘I’ll check it out,’ O’Malley replied.

‘OK. Let’s go to it.’

‘So we’re not viewing Louise Reakes as prime suspect?’ Hanson queried, as she got to her feet.

‘I feel we should be viewing her as the first option of many,’ Jonah said. He gave her a slightly wicked smile. ‘Business as usual.’

Hanson went to pick up her coat, keys and phone, relieved to be getting out of the station again. The sun was out in force today, and yesterday’s snow was almost gone. It was bright and pretty out there, even if it was still freezing, and she wanted to be out in it.

She checked her phone before putting it away. She had an eBay notification on a jacket she’d bid on, but no messages. Nothing from Jason.

And actually, now that she thought of it, she hadn’t heard anything from him last night. She hadn’t genuinely expected him to come round after the rugby. He generally got stuck into the beers and ended up going for a late-night curry. He was too considerate to roll in drunk only to pass out on her bed. But it was a little odd that he hadn’t messaged her to say so. Or to check in this morning.

She took a moment to send him a quick greeting, asking how he was doing. She might be too busy to reply until later if he did get back in touch, but she’d like to know that he was alive and well.

She grabbed the big square wool scarf that she’d looped over the back of her chair, and nodded to Lightman, who was putting down the phone without having spoken. She felt a need to keep the amicable conversation going. To keep things friendly with him.

‘No response from April Dumont?’ she asked.

‘No,’ Lightman agreed. ‘And nothing from Step Conti, either. Though I’ve got stuff to be getting on with until one of them replies. The company that sells those knives finally emailed. Apparently one of the managers should be in from two.’

‘On a Sunday?’ Hanson asked, winding the scarf round her neck.

‘I suppose if they have orders in, they can probably ship them with a courier,’ Lightman said, with a shrug. ‘I’m guessing it’s a pretty small enterprise.’

‘I hope they keep proper records.’