‘Right. I’ll get on to sorting that, and when you’re rested we’ll go speak to your young oracle …’ she paused, ‘… together.’

‘Great.’ Joseph sounded either unaware of her irritation, or he was magnanimously ignoring it. ‘I’ll get back to my digs for a bit then. See you this afternoon, ma’am.’

‘Joseph?’ Nikki softened. ‘You did really well with the boy. Take as long as you need to recharge, okay?’

‘Thanks, ma’am, but a few hours will do. Once I’m awake I’ll want to get back to work.’ She heard a smile spread through his voice. ‘You haven’t seen my digs. The wallpaper alone could bring on epilepsy.’

Before Nikki could reply, her office phone rang. ‘Gotta go. And you get some rest.’ She flipped her mobile closed and picked up the desk phone. ‘DI Galena.’

‘This is Rory Wilkinson, your totally exhausted and run-ragged locum pathologist.’

‘Professor Wilkinson! Well, we’ve never met, but I have to say that your reputation proceeds you.’

‘I’d say the same about you, but I suspect I might be brought to task, and possible flogged publically, but hey-ho! It’s a pleasure to talk to you, ma’am.’

Nikki smiled. This man made a refreshing change from their own, stick-in-the-mud forensic pathologist. ‘What can I do for you, Professor?’

‘Several things. I’ll start with the attack on the unknown young male in the recreation ground. We’ve identified two separate blood samples, and although I’m awaiting confirmation from the lab, one is almost certainly from the dead teenager that you so kindly sent me by overnight delivery. Let’s see …’ There was a rustle of paperwork,’… that would be Marcus Lee. Which would seem to confirm that he was attacked in the same place as the injured child, then moved to the house in Carson Villas where he subsequently died.’

‘That fits in with what we believe, Professor. Do you think you’ll be able to isolate some DNA from the Carson Villa crime scene?’

‘Oh, by the bucket load, I should think! The residents there were perfect candidates for a visit from Kim and Aggie! I didn’t need to even see the place to tell you it was a filthy hovel, and if the samples are anything to go on, their personal hygiene was far from meticulous.’

‘It wasn’t good, I spent some time sitting on the carpet with that unfortunate boy.’

‘Oh, you poor woman! But I can recommend an awfully good dry-cleaner.’

Nikki laughed out loud, and marvelled at the unusual sound. ‘Thanks, but I think I’ll survive. What else have you got for me?’