She had needed to deal with some pretty hardcore material whilst with the Vice Squad, but this particular game had shocked her. There was a vicious ruthlessness there that made her believe that its inventor had already lived out one or two of his sadistic fantasies for real. She shuddered. Sergeant Easter had said that a schoolkid had told him to view the site. If she felt physically sick, what the hell would a vulnerable youngster feel like? A wave of anger burst through her. She hated injustice, and, just for a moment, she changed her mind about being in the same room as Lyco. Only she’d make sure she took a pepper spray and a meat cleaver with her.

‘His mother says Kris’s out,’ Nikki put the phone down and pulled a face. ‘She reckons he’s been scouring the marshes, day and night, looking for Kerry. Even his dog’s been chasing all over the fen trying to find her. No point in driving all the way to Barnby Eaudyke if he’s not there. I’ve asked her to get him to contact us when he gets back.’

‘I’ve just had the report from the officers who searched his cottage.’ Joseph unsealed an envelope and removed several sheets of paper.

‘Anything interesting?’

Joseph skimmed through quickly. ‘Nothing really. No sign of his missing phone, and nothing to indicate anything untoward had happened there. Apparently, both Kris and his mother were pretty unhappy about his observatory being searched, and when the officers saw two heavy padlocks and a mortise on the door, they wondered what they’d find, but the whole interior is packed with computers, telescopes, cameras, tripods and accessories. “Like Jodrell Bank” is the comment made.’

‘And that is relevant in some way?’

Joseph shrugged. ‘It indicates he’s obsessive. And stuff like that costs big money.’

‘How big?’

‘Hundreds, maybe thousands.’

‘So where the devil does a twenty-year-old get that kind of dosh from?’

‘Pass.’ Joseph placed the papers on her desk.

Nikki glanced at them. ‘I’m more concerned about his being out day and night. He could well be spending time with his captive.’

‘But the neighbour gave him an alibi for when Kerry was taken.’

‘Not good enough for me, Sergeant. The dog may have been there, and Kris may have made quite sure that his potty old neighbour saw him at certain times, but in between times, he could have gone out to abduct Kerry.’ Nikki grimaced. ‘Sorry, but I think that alibi has enough holes in it to strain cabbage.’

‘Mm, maybe.’ Joseph gnawed on his bottom lip. ‘But I have a different kind of concern about young Kris. For someone who is so averse to mobile phones and texting, he seems to be very comfortable with a computer console that sounds like it’s previous owner was NASA. It doesn’t add up.’