‘Well, off and on from around seven thirty, right up until two o’clock, I suppose. I saw him when I checked my hens. He has an “observatory”, Inspector. Big posh shed with an opening window, if you ask me, but our Kris is something of a celebrity in the village. He’s an astronomer, you know. Nothing he don’t know about stars and stuff. Sometimes he’s out there all night.’

‘Yes, and—’ Nikki tried to keep her cool.

‘Well, I saw him going in and out, didn’t I? Moving his telescope around. Oh yes, and once, close to midnight, his dog started barking. Must have smelt the fox, I reckon. So he had to be there all evening, Inspector.’

‘And, to your knowledge, he was alone, Mrs Roper?’

‘Well, I can’t swear to it, but I never saw anyone else.’

Nikki thanked the woman for her help, then slammed down the receiver and swore out loud. ‘Fuck it! We’re going to have to let him go.’ She puffed out her cheeks in exasperation.

Joseph shrugged. ‘For what it’s worth, and I know he’s unlike any other twenty-year-old kid I’ve ever met, but I really don’t think he knows where Kerry is.’

‘Since when did you become the county profiler?’ enquired Nikki.

‘I know I’m no psychologist, but his body language didn’t exactly scream out “I’m a liar”, did it?’ countered Joseph.

Nikki leaned back in her chair and rubbed her temples. ‘Oh God! I need some sleep. But how can I walk out of this station with a girl missing?’

‘We have to. Wherever Kerry is, she needs us to be one hundred per cent on the ball. And as most of the Fenland Constabulary are out there looking for her, there’s little left for us to do right now.’ Joseph yawned and examined a darkening bruise on his wrist. ‘Plus, as we’ve just spent a happy hour brawling with Carborough thugs, I think we can grab a few hours shuteye without too many recriminations.’

‘Oh shit! The boy who got stabbed! I’d better get down to the hospital and check on him.’ Nikki could feel the shadow of a headache forming behind her eyes.

‘I rang while you were on the phone, ma’am. He’s conscious and stable. He’s got two uniforms with him until he’s well enough to interview, so you can relax over him.’

‘Nevertheless, that kid got stabbed because of one of those bloody masks. I need to get those evil things off the streets before something even worse happens.’ She gave him a look full of frustration. ‘There’s not enough hours in the sodding day!’

‘My digs are near the hospital. I can call in, if it helps? A couple of hours rest will charge me up again.’ He stood up. ‘If that’s all right with you, ma’am?’