‘All right.’

‘I presume you must have told your wife some story about where you were, by the way?’

‘I told her I was putting in an extra shift at the factory. I work for Rolls Royce in Derby, and she doesn’t really have any idea what we do there, so I can just say we have a rush job on.’

‘Fine.’

Hitchens opened the file again and picked up his pen. ‘Do you want to give me the name of your girlfriend now?’

‘Stella Searle. She lives at Magpie Cottage, right next to the churchyard in Foxlow.’

‘Now we’re getting somewhere.’

‘Stella’s divorced. She lives in that cottage on her own.’

‘I’m sure that makes it better.’

‘You know what I mean.’

‘So what time did the night shift start?’ asked Hitchens.

‘Sorry?’

‘I mean, what time did you arrive in Foxlow to visit your divorcée?’

‘Oh, about half past eleven. I don’t go there until it’s dark – people who live in villages are so nosy they want to know everything about you. I park the car on a lane behind the churchyard. There are no lights there, but there’s a back gate into Stell’s garden.’

‘Very handy. This Magpie Cottage – it would be right on the corner of Foxlow High Street and Pinfold Lane, am I right?’

‘That’s it.’

‘So what time did you leave on Sunday morning? Be as accurate as you can, please.’

‘It was close to three o’clock. I always leave at that time. That’s when the late shift ends, so I get home about the right time.’

‘OK, now we get to the bit where you might be able to help us, Darren. Did you see or hear anything as you were leaving the cottage? At three o’clock in the morning, it ought to have been very quiet. I’m hoping you were alert enough to notice any activity, even after your visit.’

Turnbull lowered his voice. ‘Yes, I did see something.’

‘What did you see?’

‘A black car. Big four-by-four, it was. Japanese. Tinted windows. Smart motor.’

‘Japanese? Did you recognize the make?’

‘Mmm, I’m not sure. Some of them are a bit similar, aren’t they? Toyota, Mitsubishi?’

Hitchens sighed. ‘Did you happen to see any part of the registration number?’

‘No, sorry.’

‘But you’re sure of the colour? Even though it was dark?’

‘I saw it pass under a streetlamp – the one by the phone box. It’s the nearest one to Stella’s house.’

‘How many occupants?’

‘One in the front, at least. I couldn’t tell if there was anyone in the back because of the tinted windows. Sorry.’

‘And this vehicle was heading in the direction of Bain House?’

‘If that’s the big house with the gates at the top of Pinfold Lane, it definitely went that way, then came back towards the High Street.’