‘Don’t get me wrong, I like Karene,’ said Caroline, ‘but I think she’s being a little hysterical about this. The system is never perfect. In an ideal world we’d be able to track the patient’s entire journey but that’s simply not possible.’

Bloom would never have described Karene as hysterical, but she knew such character assassinations were not unusual between an ex and a current lover. It boosts the ego to imagine your competition as a lesser person. ‘We’re not talking about a lack of background information here,’ she said. ‘We’re looking at seventy-two hours in which no one can account for Harry’s whereabouts. That’s not just imperfect; it’s highly suspicious.’

Caroline held Bloom’s gaze and then she acknowledged the point with a crisp nod of her head.

‘We think that someone either wanted to question Harry or to silence him,’ said Jameson.

‘We’re wondering if it’s to do with his work,’ added Bloom. She didn’t want Caroline to think she was in any way under suspicion.

‘And you need me to fill you in because the Navy won’t?’ Caroline looked smug.

‘Are there any incidents that you think might be related to this?’ asked Jameson, ignoring the dig.

Caroline shook her head slowly.

‘Do you recall him being upset or angry at any point?’ asked Bloom. ‘Or being distant and secretive?’

Caroline smiled. ‘They’re always secretive, whether they’ve good reason or not.’

‘They?’ said Bloom.

‘The men, the military, the officers. It’s all part of the glamour.’

Out of the corner of her eye, Bloom saw Jameson raise his eyebrows.

‘Has Harry done any jobs that would make him a target?’ asked Bloom.

Caroline paused.

‘Just go with your gut,’ said Jameson.

Bloom tried again: ‘If you had to rank Harry’s jobs in terms of controversy or danger, what would be at the top?’

‘As far as I’m aware he hasn’t done anything particularly controversial or dangerous.’

‘He did a tour of Iraq and two of Afghanistan. You don’t consider that dangerous?’ Jameson asked. ‘Did he not tell you what he’d seen out there? What he did as a pilot?’

‘I never asked.’

‘You never asked?’ Jameson failed to hide his disdain.

Bloom stepped in. ‘We’ll explore that line of enquiry with his colleagues then. How about in your personal life?’

‘Excuse me?’ Caroline sat up a little straighter. This line of questioning clearly offended her.

‘You’d be surprised how often the cases we investigate are linked to a person’s private life. It’s usually where the emotions are strongest so we have to ask.’

‘You don’t have to ask. You’re not the police. You’re just two interfering amateurs on that crazy woman’s witch hunt.’