Alfred Hale was having second thoughts about what Ruddock had told him. As they waited in Bow Street Magistrates’ Court for the summons from Giles Clearwater, he dared to think that they might be making a mistake. Alone with Micah Yeomans, he took time to pluck up enough courage to raise a possibility.

‘I’ve been thinking, Micah,’ he said.

‘That’s a nasty habit – warps the mind.’

‘Chevy is an intelligent man. To be honest, I sometimes think that he may be more intelligent than us. I believe we should take him seriously.’

‘Ruddock is still a raw beginner in my book.’

‘That’s unfair. Look at the things he’s done for us. He got a letter of commendation from Kirkwood for the way he acted when there was an attempt to rescue a prisoner from a cell here.’ He sucked his teeth noisily. ‘That’s more than we ever got from him.’

‘I know,’ said Yeomans with vehemence, ‘and it’s just not right.’

‘Mr Kirkwood sees something in Chevy that we don’t.’

‘There’s nothing there to see. Ruddock is strong, willing and follows his orders. That’s all that can be said in his favour. On the debit side, he’s slow, clumsy, easily gulled by villains and prone to have wild ideas.’

‘His ideas are not all wild, Micah.’

‘What are you trying to say?’

‘Supposing that he’s right about Giles Clearwater?’

‘He’s not.’

‘But supposing that—’

‘Stop right there,’ ordered Yeomans, getting up to threaten him. ‘Don’t let that poisonous idea enter your brain. If you think that Ruddock is right, you’re saying that you, me and the chief magistrate are hopelessly wrong. Between us we’ve racked up over ninety years of dedication to law enforcement. Compare that to Ruddock’s experience. What is it – one, two, three years at most? As an officer, he’s still wet behind the ears.’

‘It’s just that he’s so … well, convinced.’

‘I’m even more convinced, Alfred. What we’re dealing with here is a simple coincidence. There’s more than one Giles Clearwater. If you went through the last census, you’d probably find that there are lots of them. There are certainly more people called Micah Yeomans in a city as big as this and you could probably form a cricket team out of all the Alfred Hales at large.’ He put his face close to that of his friend. ‘Does that answer your question?’

‘Yes, it does.’

‘And do you promise not to mention Chevy Ruddock again?’

‘I do, Micah – on my word of honour.’

When Peter invited their visitor in, David was astonished to meet Paul. He looked from one brother to the other, wondering how they could be told apart. He was introduced to Charlotte and, from the look he gave her, clearly wondered what someone like her was doing in a shooting gallery. She read his mind.