‘We told him all that stuff in the pub was part of the case. He was politely asked to leave you alone. I mean, you were working, weren’t you, give or take a few drinks?’

He watched a family of ducks wander past on the path in front of him.

‘I’m on the case now. I’ll be on it ’til they chuck me off.’

‘Bollocks to the lot of ’em, Joe. Keep digging. I’ll ring you later.’

‘I’m digging. Speak soon.’

‘Oh, just one thing. Will you run everything past Gwyn from now on? I mean, while you’re keeping your head down? He’s in charge at your end, right?’

He was already back on his feet, striding out across the grass, as he ended the call. The backache had gone, and he kicked coils of dried goose shit into the air as he went. Not quite digging, but it would do as a metaphor.

‘You’ve read them?’

‘Yup,’ Megan said, the files already sitting next to her, closed. ‘I was familiar with the case anyway.’

‘Really? Why’s that?’

She squinted, head back.

‘Because I’m interested in Forensic Psychology. Because I know you. Because…’ She stopped. ‘Joe, everybody’s talking about this. Hadn’t you noticed?’

‘I’ve been a bit too busy trying to solve it.’

‘Oh, by the way, you got lucky. There’s just been an explosion at an oil refinery in Wales. No one hurt, but, y’know, a bit Jerry Lee Lewis.’

‘What?’

‘Great balls of fire. God, you’re really not on form today!’

‘Could be a slight hangover.’

‘Oh, I see. Anyway, you’re not the top story on the lunchtime bulletins.’

‘Relegated to old news almost before I knew I was new news.’

‘Welcome to the digital age!’

He sat down.

‘So, what do you think?’

‘The first murder’s unusual, intriguing. The car more or less disappears, which presents us with an interesting state of mind.’

‘How?’

‘Well, the killer’s definitely lucid as he drives off. Thinking straight. That’s not easy, right after you’ve murdered someone. Plus, it suggests he knows the roads, the traffic cameras, the lie of the land.’

‘Local knowledge.’

‘Obvs, as my daughters would say. How’s Sam doing in Edinburgh, by the way?’

‘Fine. Can’t thank you enough for the reference.’

‘Smart lad. He got in on merit.’

‘Smart, but he never rings. The twins?’

She snorted.

‘Private schools around here, you know how much they cost? They’ve got posh boyfriends called Giles, Jake, I dunno. The money? It just goes.’

She paused, the very thought of school fees enough to crush her soul.