‘The superintendent always says it’s futile to ask “What if …?” questions. What’s happened, happened and you have to take it from there.’

‘I know, but … So, why exactly have you come to see me, anyway? Just to tell me you haven’t got the manpower or whatever to carry on this investigation? Or what?’

‘The investigation will carry on indefinitely. I really came to warn you that you might have to be interviewed again. And to tell you to be careful. Don’t go making things happen locally. If there’s a killer somewhere in this village and he thinks you’re getting close to finding who he is, you’ll be in real danger. You do see that, don’t you?’

‘Is that what Gladwin told you to say?’

‘More or less. It’s common sense, basically.’

‘How exactly am I supposed to be careful? Avoid isolated spots? Get somebody to stay here with me?’

‘Use your common sense,’ Caz repeated.

The idea of having Clovis staying as her guard and protector vibrated briefly inside her. Totally out of the question, of course. Impossibly transgressive. Jocelyn might be an alternative, but she sounded pretty bogged down at home. ‘I might phone my daughter and see if she 226can take a few days off,’ she said, knowing there was very little chance of that. If police resources were as stretched in Greater Manchester as they were in Gloucestershire, Jessica would be committed to long shifts and no sudden days off for the foreseeable future. ‘You knew she was in the police, didn’t you?’ she added.

‘No. Where?’

‘Greater Manchester.’

‘Where your woman said she’d come from on Saturday?’

‘As it happens, yes.’

‘Maybe we could persuade them to lend her to us for a bit. She could get seconded, as a liaison officer.’

‘Really? Could it be done quickly? I’m only here for the rest of this week. Once the kitchen’s done, they’ve got the bathroom, and then I can go.’

‘It wouldn’t hurt to ask,’ said Barkley.

‘Will you do it – or should I?’

‘It’s got to be official. But you could give her a heads-up and see what she thinks. You’re close, then, are you?’ There was a wistfulness in her voice, and Thea remembered once again that Caz Barkley had grown up in the care system, presumably not at all close to her mother.

‘Fairly. We like each other, if that’s what you mean. I don’t see her terribly often. But my sister’s girl, Toni, has just been to visit and seems a bit worried. Something’s not entirely right, apparently. I ought to see if there’s anything I can do about it.’

‘I’ll get onto it this morning. She could be here tomorrow with any luck. She’d have to be properly 227briefed and given a complete set of assignments to justify bringing her here.’

‘Amazing. Are you sure?’

‘Obviously I can’t be sure they’ll let her go. But it must be worth a try.’

The prospect of having someone to share the nights with was embarrassingly welcome. But there were difficulties. ‘Where would she sleep? I can’t put her in the attic and we’re not allowed to use Tabitha’s room. There aren’t any beds anywhere else.’ And if Jessica was going to be there, that put paid to any hope of having Clovis turn up to help with the detective work.