‘I know that face.’ He pointed to a brown-haired lad who stood between two other scouts. ‘It’s him. I wasn’t paying attention to the other boys’ faces but now it’s been enlarged I know it’s him. He’s been right under our noses the entire time.’

‘Get your coat. We’re going to pay the Hucknells another visit. We need to know exactly what we’re dealing with.’

Tilly met Steven at twelve thirty at the bar of The Fort St George pub as they had agreed. He looked handsome in his jeans and green jumper, with his hair pushed back off his forehead. When she walked in out of the cold, he was already waiting for her and had ordered her a drink.

‘Thank you.’ She accepted the gin and tonic and clinked glasses with his pint of ale.

‘Let’s grab a seat and order,’ Steven said looking around the heaving pub. ‘I’m starving.’

‘It’s very busy,’ Tilly commented, thinking they’d be lucky if they found an available table.

‘Two for lunch.’ Steven lent over the bar and smiled at the waitress.

‘You’ll be lucky.’ The buxom woman laughed. ‘We’ve been fully booked for weeks. You do know it’s Christmas Eve?’ she said, her eyes smiling.

‘Yes, I’m aware of that.’ Steven brandished a gleaming grin. ‘Looks like we’ll just have to get drunk,’ he said turning to Tilly.

‘You are naughty.’ She sipped her drink and realised she’d not been in a room with so many people since before the murders began. A creeping sense of dread started to return. ‘But seriously, I’m hungry. Shall we try somewhere else when we’ve finished these?’ She held up her glass.

‘Can do,’ Steven said wiping the froth from his beer off his top lip. ‘Where do you fancy?’

For a moment, Tilly thought he’d said who do you fancy, and she felt herself blushing.

‘I don’t mind. Anywhere that has a table and food.’ She tripped over the words, her nerves starting to bother her again.

‘What about my place?’

She looked at him with doubt.

‘I can cook.’ He laughed. ‘I’ve not made it this far without being able to rustle up a tasty plate or two.’

‘Okay then,’ she agreed feeling like their meeting had just taken a more intimate turn.

‘Great. We can stop by the shop and pick something up on the way there.’

‘Where do you live?’

‘Trafalgar Road. It’s just the other side of the river. A couple minutes’ walk. Not far. What do you want to eat?’

‘I’m not fussy. I’ll eat anything.’ She paused to think for a moment. ‘Just maybe not Chinese. My flatmate is Chinese and it’s all she cooks. I love it, but I’ve had enough Chinese food over the last few days to last me a lifetime.’