‘Could you prioritise him, please?’

‘I’ll get onto it now.’

Janey caught Clare’s eye. ‘Been looking into Steve Christie,’ she said.

‘And?’

‘Nothing anyone can pin on him.’

‘But you’re suspicious?’

Janey shrugged. ‘I can’t find any involvement with firearms since his conviction. HMRC have investigated him a few times but nothing they could make stick. The officer I spoke to said he was a slippery sucker.’

‘Remind me again what he does,’ Clare said.

‘Imports tat from China. Supplies market stalls, small shops. The kind of stuff you buy, then it falls to bits a couple of weeks later.’

‘Okay, thanks Janey. Ask HMRC to keep us informed. Otherwise, move on.’ Clare rose and was heading for the door when Chris ambled into the room.

‘We going somewhere?’

‘I am. You’re staying here to help Janey and Bill. Anything of interest get me on my mobile. I have a call to pay.’

Chapter 15

Susan Clancy’s flat was on the second floor of a three-storey block on Roundhill Road, less than half a mile from the police station. She stared at Clare for a moment then a smile spread across her face.

‘Inspector,’ she said, standing back to admit Clare.

‘Clare, please,’ she said. ‘I think we know each other well enough now.’

‘Clare, then. Nice to see you.’ She closed the door and directed Clare into a sitting room. A little girl of around three sat on the floor surrounded by toy farm animals which she was pretending to walk along the linoleum. If Clare hadn’t known this was Paige she’d have guessed from her resemblance to Susan. Paige looked up as they entered the room and Clare saw she had Susan’s eyes and the same dark hair. Susan’s hair had been dyed blonde when Clare had met her during that missing baby case. But now it was dark, cut in a long bob with a choppy fringe.

‘You’ve changed your hair,’ Clare said.

‘Gone back to my own colour. Saves a lot of faff with dyes an’ that. Coffee?’

‘Only if you’re making it.’

‘Won’t be a minute.’ Susan disappeared and Clare heard the sound of water being poured into a kettle, cupboard doors opening and closing. She knelt down beside the little girl who was staring at her.

‘Hello,’ she said. ‘I’m Clare.’

The toddler studied Clare for a minute then she held out a tiny chestnut horse. ‘This is my hossie,’ she said, her face serious.

Clare went to take the horse from Paige but the little girl withdrew her hand, clutching the horse close. She picked up a black and white cow in her other hand and held this out instead. Clare took the offering. ‘It’s a cow,’ she said, smiling.

Paige nodded. ‘He says moo.’

Clare made mooing sounds and Paige began to laugh.