‘I will,’ Hale replied with a smile.

‘Good. Although even with Pickett on the job that research will take a while. There’s nothing about the MO on this that rings a bell for me.’

‘Nor me. I’ve never heard of a hit like this before.’

‘Are we still confident that’s what this was?’

‘More than ever. The Trident boys couldn’t have been clearer. No simple street gang could have done this to Leon Ferris and his men. Christ, if you heard the reaction of some of that team, we must be looking for Batman. That’s over the top, obviously, but I can’t see how this was anything but a professional job.’

Levy listened carefully. As Hale spoke she reached out and took his now-empty glass and refilled it with a bigger slug than before. Then she did the same to her own.

They both enjoyed a sip before continuing.

‘What’s your gut saying?’

It was the only question Levy could ask. There was no evidence. Not yet. But that did not mean that Hale had nothing. Something only another investigator would understand.

‘It says we need to be looking at Ed Burrell.’ Hale’s answer was instant. ‘No one else gains out of this. Not like Burrell does.’

‘Burrell’s the main rival, I take it?’

‘That’s right. Nowhere near Ferris’s league. But a very clear second. Burrell’s the only other player in that part of London.’

‘Then it makes sense that it’s him.’ Levy followed Hale’s reasoning. ‘But you said there were others? Less likely but still competitors?’

‘Yeah, but not really. It’s more just a case of being thorough. There are other gangs in the area with ambition, but I don’t buy them for this. They’d stand to gain from offing Burrell, not Ferris. Ferris leaves a gap that they can’t hope to fill.’

‘But maybe you’re crediting them with too much intelligence, Steve. Maybe they don’t know they couldn’t fill it?’

‘I did think that, and maybe it’s right. But then I looked at the murder again. And I’m convinced that whoever did that – whoever stepped into that room and offed all four of them – that guy isn’t even on our radar. Or Trident’s. So much so that I had Pickett contact the NCA for help this afternoon, in case they recognise the MO. Whatever the outcome of that, I just don’t see one of the street gangs engaging a professional of that level to take out Ferris. Or knowing where to find such a person. No. The only player that gains from Ferris’s death and has a chance of finding that kind of a hitman is Burrell. I just know it.’

‘Then you know where you’re going, Steve. That’s half the battle won already.’ Levy tipped her glass at Hale as she spoke. An unspoken congratulation. Then she a took a mouthful before continuing. ‘So how long before Burrell gets a knock at his door?’

‘As soon as I can find a bloody excuse.’ Hale laughed. Levy was happy to see it. It was what made their job bearable. ‘And what about you? Do you think sitting in this office into the night is going to catch Wisdom Penfold any quicker? Go home, Joelle. Go home and spend some time with your son.’