Dan had arrived at Manor House Developments’ head office in the Docklands to speak to the HR Manager. He showed his warrant and followed Jennifer along a corridor. ‘How’s the Stepney project going?’

‘We are on target to have everything up and running by the end of 2021. Well, we were . . . ’ She blushed and muttered to herself. Shot ahead and showed him into a spacious, bright office.

‘Tina Sands. HR Manager.’ A woman was waiting for him, matching grey jacket and skirt, her hand outstretched. She took her glasses off. ‘You want to discuss Patrick Ryan, I believe.’ She motioned to a cluster of faux-suede bucket chairs which looked like they’d come straight from Habitat. ‘How can I help?’

Dan sat down. ‘Are you aware of any recent disputes between Patrick and his colleagues?’

‘I’m probably not the best person to ask about how he gets on with the guys on site. That would be the foreman there, Robert Johnson. We tend to only hear about issues once someone gets a bit physical or wants to make it formal.’

‘And there haven’t been any incidents of that with Mr Ryan?’

‘No. I checked his record before you arrived. It’s exemplary.’ She shook her head. ‘He was doing a good job over there. A reliable sub-foreman.’

‘What was his sick record like?’

‘I’ll check. Hold on a second.’ She popped her glasses back on and wiggled her computer mouse. ‘He’s within the normal range for amount of sick days.’ She was reading off a spreadsheet. ‘Time-keeping fine. All seems good.’ She looked up at Dan and smiled.

‘What were his references like when he applied for his post with you?’

‘Let me see.’ A few more clicks. ‘He started work with us in 2015. Applied for a position as a labourer. Clearly over-qualified—’

‘Did he tell you what work he’d done before?’

Click, click. ‘Trader in the City. I remember now. That’s why he wasn’t really a labourer. He’d had management experience.’

‘Didn’t you wonder why a city trader wanted a job as a labourer?’

She frowned. ‘It’s not my job to probe into people’s pasts. As long as there’s nothing there to worry about, we employ our staff on an equal opportunities basis.’

‘Don’t you ask them why they want to work for your company?’

‘Of course.’

‘And what did Mr Ryan say?’

‘I have no idea, I’m afraid. I didn’t interview him.’

Dan was trying to picture Ryan saying that he really wanted a job as a labourer. Or perhaps – after a spell in psychiatric hospital, and then on the streets as a heroin addict before he finally managed to kick the gear – that was what he had genuinely wanted. ‘Who were his referees?’

She returned her attention to the monitor. ‘One was Adrian Parry. The second was Mrs Nicola Grant.’

‘Where is Mr Parry from? Is that a work reference?’