Yeomans bristled. ‘You’re dealing with a provoked Bow Street Runner at the moment,’ he warned, ‘so don’t you dare try my patience any further. We send you out to find a flesh and blood human being and you bring back a character from a play that’s never performed.’

‘Are you teasing us, Chevy?’ asked Hale.

‘I’m telling you what Mr Howlett told me.’

‘Then he must be teasing us.’

‘And you bought him another drink, I’ll warrant,’ said Yeomans, angrily.

‘He deserved thanks for helping us,’ argued Ruddock. ‘If it hadn’t been for his collection of theatrical memorabilia, we’d never have known who Clearwater was.’

‘We still don’t. We’re after a real man.’

‘Shame on you, Chevy,’ said Hale. ‘You’ve let us down badly this time.’

‘But I haven’t,’ said Ruddock. ‘Don’t you see what this means?’

‘Yes, you’ve taken leave of your senses.’

‘I thought you’d both be pleased.’

‘Pleased?’ echoed Yeomans. ‘You tell us that a man we’ve actually met and spoken to at length is a character in a play and expect us to be pleased? What kind of half-witted thinking is that?’

He paused to guzzle down a drink. Ruddock was hurt because he wasn’t getting the congratulations he’d expected. Instead, they were furious with him.

‘Get back out there and continue the search,’ said Yeomans.

‘But it’s pouring with rain.’

‘I don’t care if there’s six feet of snow on the ground. Disappear.’

‘At least, let me explain,’ pleaded Ruddock. ‘You owe me that chance.’

‘All we owe you is a punch on the nose.’

‘Don’t be too harsh, Micah,’ said Hale, showing sympathy for the younger man. ‘Chevy did his best. He just got confused, that’s all. Let him explain.’

Yeomans gave a low animal growl. Hale gestured to Ruddock. The latter cleared his throat and took a nervous step towards them.

‘My mind works different to yours,’ he began.

‘Oh, so you actually have a mind, do you?’ sneered Yeomans.

‘When I saw that name, I knew I’d made a discovery.’

‘Yes, you found a dull play that died after one performance.’

‘I found out something more important than that, Mr Yeomans. With the help of Mr Howlett, I learnt that the man you sent me to find is an impostor.’ The two Runners were taken aback. ‘Don’t you see? He must have stolen the name of Giles Clearwater from the play.’

Hale’s jaw had dropped. ‘How do you know?’

‘Well, it’s such an unusual name. How many Clearwaters do you know?’

‘None, Chevy.’

‘None at all,’ admitted Yeomans, eventually.