Next to him sat an older woman Clare recognised as one of the duty solicitors and she nodded to the woman. When Clare had completed the formalities and cautioned Zac, the woman cleared her throat.

‘Mr Buchanan has indicated he will be answering No comment to all questions.’ She turned to Zac for confirmation of this. He inclined his head as if to say he didn’t much care either way.

‘That is your right, of course,’ Clare said to Zac, ‘but it might help shorten the interview if you did answer our questions. Get you out of here a bit sooner.’

He made no response to this and Clare began the interview. ‘Perhaps you could tell us where you were on Friday night.’

Zac mumbled, ‘No comment.’

Clare opened a folder and withdrew a sheet of paper. She pushed it across the table so Zac and his solicitor could read it. ‘This is a printout of a transaction from an ATM in Market Street, St Andrews.’ She paused for a moment as Zac’s solicitor leaned forward to examine the paper. ‘It shows a withdrawal of cash from an account in your name,’ she tapped the paper, ‘as you’ll see just here.’

Zac barely glanced at the paper.

‘And, as you did not report your bank card stolen, I think it’s reasonable to assume the transaction was carried out by you. In other words, you were in St Andrews on Friday night about half past eight.’

Again, Zac gave his stock reply and Clare went on. ‘Can you confirm please you were in the vicinity of Cant Crescent either late on Friday night or early Saturday morning?’

The solicitor looked at Zac but he made no response.

‘And that you unlawfully entered and drove away a vehicle without permission of the owner?’

Zac sighed audibly. ‘No comment,’ he said, flicking a glance at Clare.

There was a tap on the door and Clare paused the interview. Outside the room Sara stood holding two photos. ‘Stills from the speeding ticket and the cash machine, boss.’

Clare took the photos from her and nodded to Chris. ‘Come on, let’s look at these in a better light.’

They found a vacant desk in the incident room and spread the photos out.

Chris moved in to examine the image from the speed camera. ‘Well that’s just blown your case out of the water,’ he said.

‘Yup. I’m afraid so.’ She squinted at the photo of the driver who had dark curly hair. ‘That’s certainly not Zac and there’s no one in the front passenger seat.’ She sat back considering this. ‘But we know he was in the town on Friday night.’ She tapped the photo taken at the cash machine. ‘This along with the printout from the bank proves it. So, if he wasn’t here to steal a car, why was he here?’