‘I’m looking into it. He’s had associations with some unsavoury criminals in the past and I wonder how involved he was. Will seems to be well and truly in his pocket. He’s been cagey with me for the first time ever, and he won’t answer my questions directly. He’s also been working covertly with informants, without my knowledge.’

‘And you think he’s doing it for Ormond?’

‘Yes, but it seems to be coercive.’

‘He has something on Will?’

‘That’s what I’m worried about. I hope not.’

‘You rate Will?’

‘Of course. He’s part of my dream team. Maybe I’ve been naïve.’

They pulled up outside Eden House and kissed. Johnny told her to call him for a lift, but she said she’d get a squad car to drop her off, and not to wait up.

DC Emma Hide had been busy. The office was empty, and she told Kelly what she’d dug up.

‘I’m trying to trace a shipment of contraband that was apprehended at Kendal services, in four lorries, seven years ago. It was one of the largest drug busts in recent years, not counting Barrow, of course. It was all logged and sent to various holding depots, but the trail stops dead and the paperwork doesn’t add up. I can’t find it beyond 2016. Each component should have been destroyed as scheduled, but I can’t find confirmation that several containers were actually disposed of in the correct manner.’

‘Several? Plural?’ Kelly asked.

‘Four full-sized containers.’

‘That’s a lot of contraband. Who was in charge of the operation?’

‘I don’t recognise the names of any of the drug squad officers, but there is a memo from HQ recommending they have executive authority over the operation because of the size of it. Lancaster was trying to muscle in too, as well as Greater Manchester, because of the provenance of the goods.’

‘Which was?’

‘It’s unclear. North-west, I think, but Cumbria won it. The final authority checking the figures submitted by the drug squad from there on was Superintendent Ormond, who was also the senior officer overseeing every transaction and movement of the goods.’

‘Where were they supposed to go?’

‘Preston depot. And that’s where the paperwork gets lost.’

‘Jesus. What was the contraband?’

‘Class A and B drugs, cash and firearms.’

Seven years ago was way before Kelly had returned to Cumbria from the Met, and she hadn’t heard of this case before. She couldn’t help thinking that Ormond was somehow involved with making the contraband disappear, no doubt for huge personal financial gain. Again Tombday came to mind, because part of Barry Crawley’s involvement had been using his haulage company to move illegal immigrants.

‘Did you notice the name of the haulage company?’

‘I was getting to that. It was Crawley and Son.’