In the end Taylor was more helpful than Ashworth had expected. At least he’d recorded every incident, every complaint brought to him, entered it in a rolling report on his PC.

‘So who’s the culprit?’ Ashworth asked after he’d read through the printout, seen the list of stolen cash, the watches, the earrings and beads. There was no individual item of great value, but it added up. ‘You must have your suspicions. Do you think Danny’s behind it?’

‘I don’t see that. He’s a bit of a lad and not a brilliant cleaner, but he’s not stupid. He’s got too much to lose for the sake of a couple of bits of tat that would make a few quid sold on. No, I don’t see him as a thief.’

‘Who then?’

Taylor looked awkward. ‘The other staff think Lisa’s the culprit.’

‘Because she lives in the west end and her dad has a criminal record.’ Ashworth hoped Lisa hadn’t been sneaking into the staffroom, slipping her hand into pockets and handbags. He’d liked her, and he believed his judgement about people was OK. Vera always laughed at that and called him naive. We’re all capable of violence, Joey, if we’re pushed to it. Even you.

‘Not just that,’ Taylor said. ‘She keeps herself to herself. She’s a bit prim. The others meet up outside work, drinking, partying. She never does. They’d rather blame her for the thefts. Easier than thinking it might be one of their mates.’ He paused. ‘I did wonder . . .’

‘Yes?’

‘If it was all a set-up to get rid of her. It’s weird how sometimes they take against people. They make her life hell, actually. Petty digs. Insults. I can’t think of any one thing that she might have done to offend them. It’s just like they want someone to hate. The women are the worst. Like they blame Lisa for anything that goes wrong in the place. Like Lisa doesn’t have any feelings. I think she’s amazing for sticking it out.’

‘Is that why you didn’t tell me about this yesterday? Because you thought it was the staff making trouble for Lisa? That it was just a trick to get her the sack?’ Ashworth wondered if maybe Taylor fancied the girl, if she brought out the protective male in him. Or was he embarrassed by the petty cruelties of his colleagues?

‘The thing with Lisa has been horrible. I don’t think there’s a ringleader. No one person stirring up bother; it’s more a strange sort of herd mentality. It’s kept me awake at nights. Louise, my boss, won’t do anything about it. She wants to be part of the gang too. Pathetic! I was hoping I might deal with the problem while she was on holiday, but I only seemed to make things worse.’ He looked up at Ashworth, relieved at last to be able to confide about the problem that had obviously been haunting him. ‘When that woman was killed yesterday I was pleased. Dreadful, isn’t it? But I thought it would give them all something else to gossip about. Take the heat off Lisa for a while.’