Natasha raised her eyebrows.

‘Ah, Tom, if you knew what I’d seen in terms of sex crimes … let’s just say that the dead can’t feel anything. But look, if it brings you comfort, I really don’t think that’s what you’re up against and I think Linda McCarn agrees. The care that he’s showing his victims would indicate that he’s not abusing and disposing of them, as most sex murderers would. I’m happy to be of any assistance, but I don’t think you’ll need me for this one.’

The inspector sighed. He sincerely hoped not.

No sooner had Natasha left than Tom’s phone erupted. He always felt that when Joe Kennedy dialled, the ring tone got more shrill.

‘Sir,’ Tom answered. It was childish but it jarred to use the term ‘Sir’ for somebody that bit younger than him.

‘I’m disappointed you’ve finished your team meeting already, Inspector. I was going to pop in and say a few words.’

Tom had guessed that would be Kennedy’s plan and had deliberately organised the meeting to start and finish before the chief was done with that morning’s gathering of top brass. The priority was getting work underway, not listening to a half hour ‘go get ‘em’ lecture peppered with cringe-worthy buzzwords.

‘My apologies,’ he lied. ‘I just wanted us out of the blocks. Chief McGuinness rarely came to team meetings.’ That was another stretching of the truth. It wasn’t usual for Sean to sit in on an incident room but in a case this big, he’d have made an exception and Tom would have welcomed him there.

Kennedy began to say something, then stopped. The inspector wondered if he’d been about to correct Tom’s use of ‘Chief McGuinness’.

‘I imagine you’re feeling a little at sea, without your former colleague here to guide you on this one,’ Kennedy said. The remark, and its generous tone, was so unexpected that Tom was thrown. Just for a moment, he pictured the man in the office upstairs, sitting at his desk alone – trying to assert himself in unfamiliar terrain with not overly friendly colleagues. It stirred something in the inspector. He felt a little ashamed of himself.

‘Inspector?’

‘I’m here. That’s not an issue, Sir. Of course, I miss working with Sean, but he wouldn’t have been that involved in my day-to-day casework. You might want to run things differently and I’ve no objection to you wanting to sit in on the odd team meeting.’

‘That’s all I ask. I appreciate I’m not long in the job but in a case this big, it’s important we all put our shoulders to the wheel and pull together.’

The words might have formed the sort of banal utterance the inspector was used to hearing from Kennedy, but he appreciated the sentiment.

‘I agree.’