Eamon Ferry and Steve Christie were no more forthcoming on the subject of the minibus women. Yes, there had been girls there on Friday night but, no, they weren’t sure who had booked them. Yes they’d had a bit of a party but they were cagey when the subject of sex came up.

‘We don’t go in for public orgies,’ Steve Christie said. ‘We’re no’ like that.’

Eamon Ferry looked appalled when Chris asked if any drugs had been taken and Steve Christie seemed to agree.

‘Mug’s game, that, Sergeant,’ Steve said.

When they had drifted off, Clare said, ‘Get anything else out of Gaby and Luke?’

‘Nope. What was your phone call?’

Clare’s expression was blank for a moment. The conversations with the men had put the call out of her head. ‘Oh,’ she said, remembering. ‘It was Neil. Neil Grant.’

‘And?’

‘Well, the bullet in the tree was the one that killed Russell Fox. DNA matched.’

Chris nodded. ‘We pretty much expected that.’

‘But what we didn’t know is that Russell Fox wasn’t long for this world.’

‘Eh?’

‘Massive abdominal tumour. Neil reckons he must have known about it.’

Chris looked towards the hotel. ‘D’you reckon the rest of them know? The sister and the friends?’

‘Doesn’t sound like it. But Russell’s decision to sell the restaurants makes more sense now.’

‘Make the most of the time he had left?’ Chris said. ‘I’d say so.’ He looked towards the sun deck. Luke and Gaby had been joined by the three men and the five of them were deep in conversation. Doug Gerrard glanced across once or twice.

‘Getting their stories straight,’ Clare said. ‘Question is: do we tell them about Russell’s illness?’

‘No reason we should. It could add to their distress.’

‘Fair point.’

‘I have my uses. So, what now?’

‘Let’s head for the Lodge. I’d like to go up to the top floor. See the room the gunman used.’

They walked round the other side of the hotel, avoiding the sun deck and back towards the car.

The press pack seem to have divided itself between the station and the Lodge. As Clare and Chris slowed their approach they saw a TV reporter speaking on camera. But as they pulled into the drive every camera turned to follow their progress.

‘This is going to get tired, very soon,’ Clare said.

‘Already is.’

They drew up outside the Heras fence and jumped out of the car. Jim was standing near the steps to the treetop walk and he strode across to meet them.

‘Anything?’ Clare asked, nodding towards the officers searching the grounds.

He shook his head. ‘Nothing so far. I’ll keep you posted.’

Clare thanked him and they headed round the other side of the Lodge towards the gardens at the back. ‘I want to get the lay of the land,’ she said.