Jazz grinned and grabbed a raspberry-centered doughnut and poured herself more coffee. “Obviously Samir’s body provided us with an excellent DNA sample,” she said. “And the match from the hair follicle was also a good source. It made my job a lot easier.”

“So Samir was in the same house as Stokes at some point, and he was there long enough to sit down in the armchair but not to sleep on the mattress. What we don’t know is whether they were both in the house at the same time, or when this was.”

“I think we can assume they must have been there together at some point,” said Annie. “After all, it was Stokes’s house, and he didn’t seem the type to get out and about that much. And it seems likely Samir was there after he was seen in town with his backpack and jacket.”

“Stokes did go and sit in the park and read sometimes,” said Gerry. “Apparently, he never bothered anyone, but the Elmet Hill crowd didn’t approve of his presence there. Granville Myers said he scared the kiddies.”

“Did you talk to the Neighborhood Watch?”

“Yes, guv. That was the bloke who runs it: Granville Myers. He’s in charge along with Lisa Bartlett’s dad, Gus.”

“Anything?”

“Claims to know nothing about what goes on in the park or on the Hollyfield Estate. He seemed a bit defensive when it came to his son, Chris, so I did a bit of rooting around. Seems Chris Myers is in his final year as a day student at St. Botolph’s, sitting his A-levels at the moment, along with Lisa Bartlett’s brother, Jason. Chris has his own car to drive himself to school and back each day. Usually gives Jason a lift. He’s bright. Expected to take a place at Oxford. Anyway, I seemed to remember he was involved in something a while ago, so I just checked back through the old incident reports and discovered that last year Chris Myers got caught—along with several of his fellow pupils—at a noisy student party near Eastvale College, where drugs were present, mostly ecstasy and marijuana. They all got off lightly, a slap on the wrist, and for what it’s worth, Myers had no drugs in his possession. Apparently, the quantities were small and they were doing no harm.”

“Interesting,” said Banks. “Youthful high jinks, most likely, but let’s keep young Chris and Jason in mind as regards the drug connection. They might know a bit more about what went on in number twenty-six Hollyfield Lane than their parents can tell us.”

“Right, guv,” said Gerry.