Tom cursed. He’d already turned the key in the ignition twice and got nothing. He was almost embarrassed to tell his deputy.

‘You’re having a laugh,’ Ray said, figuring it out. Fergus began to walk towards them, the still-falling rain not bothering him in the slightest.

‘Did you leave the radio on when we got out or something?’ his deputy asked.

The young Holland man knocked on Tom’s window. The inspector opened the door, unable to lower the electric pane.

‘Not starting?’

‘Not a gig.’

‘Pop her open. I’ll get some jumper leads.’

They spent the next ten minutes trying to bring the Citroёn to life without any success.

‘If it’s not your battery, it might be the starter cable,’ Fergus said. ‘You in the AA?’

Tom nodded. He had them on speed-dial.

He went through the rigmarole with the lovely Lisa, who remembered him from last time. When he hung up, his face was as dark as the overhead clouds.

‘She’s sending somebody out, but it could be an hour,’ he said.

Ray swore at the open heavens.

‘I’ll drive you.’ This was Fergus.

The inspector frowned.

‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, son. Not with your history with Carney.’

Fergus shrugged, as though it had been a casual offer, but the inspector knew he was peeved.

‘Fine. Just trying to be helpful. I’ll get one of the lads to run you up. When you get back, your car should be fixed. Charlie!’

He roared at the man still unloading the bags of fertiliser. He was a little distance away but the inspector could see the man tense and mouth something unpleasant.

‘Yes, Fergus?’ he answered, wearily, as he crossed the car park.

‘Give these two a lift, will you? They’re going up to Carney’s.’ Charlie nodded, seemingly relieved to be escaping the garden centre.

‘My work jeep is over here.’

He led Tom and Ray to a black vehicle parked amongst several others. ‘Don’t mind the mess. I had to do a delivery this morning, haven’t had a chance to clean it up. Charlie Lane.’

He extended his hand and the inspector and Ray took turns to shake it. ‘Don’t worry about that,’ Tom reassured him. ‘We’re just glad of the lift. Sorry to be putting you out.’

Charlie unlocked the jeep and they climbed in.

‘Jesus, you’re not putting me out at all. I’m thrilled to be driving ye up. Get a break from Little Lord Fauntleroy there. He’s always been a shit, but it’s gone right to his head now his father has left him in charge. You’d think, wouldn’t you, that he’d be a bit more concerned about his sister? I wouldn’t be able to eat, let alone put in a working day. All the lads are saying it.’

‘You know where this chap lives, do you?’ Tom asked.