‘What about the security car that was seen being pushed out of the campground the night before?’

‘That witness needs to be reinterviewed.’

‘No. The parents don’t want that. They’re frightened. None of us want our kids involved.’

Grazier winced. He wasn’t the wincing sort, so Bish was suspicious.

‘This is the deal,’ Grazier said. ‘Tomorrow morning I want you to go see LeBrac. Show her the photographs of Khateb. Find out what she knows. Does she recognise him? Could he be connected to any of her neighbours in the Brackenham estate? Elliot’s on his way to the grandparents’ farm to find out if they know Khateb.’

‘He’s flying all the way to Australia to see if Nasrene LeBrac knows Khateb because they’re both Algerian? What happened to Skype?’

‘Those people are beside themselves, Ortley,’ Grazier snapped. ‘Their son died in this country, and we can’t find their granddaughter – grandchildren. I think we owe them a bit more than a Skype session.’

Bish was getting a lecture in compassion from Grazier?

‘I want you to cross the Channel and speak to your friend Attal,’ Grazier said.

‘If my friend Attal wanted to speak to me, he would have texted in very bad English and told me what was going on.’

‘Your friend Attal isn’t texting you because he’s angry that French Intelligence have dragged his daughter into this. Marianne Attal is the one who claimed Violette made mention of Khateb.’

‘Then I’ll ring him with a translator and talk to him from here.’

The wince again. It was making Bish twitchy.

‘According to Marianne Attal, Bee was present when this conversation took place. French Intelligence want to speak to both girls together.’

‘Not happening.’

‘You’re going to have to make it happen.’

‘My daughter is not returning to France, Grazier. Let’s end this conversation here.’

Grazier was growing exasperated. ‘Look, Downing Street wants you to take her there. The French are telling us nothing. They’re talking to the Spanish more than to our people. We’re finding out facts through blogs. So if you go in telling them about your meeting with LeBrac, they may give us something in return.’ He stood up, and the only relief for Bish was the idea that he was leaving. But instead the other man had the audacity to put on the kettle in Bish’s kitchen.

‘You’re going to be with Bee. Sitting next to her. Stopping her from saying anything that may incriminate her.’

‘Do you have kids, Grazier?’

Grazier didn’t like the question. ‘What does that matter? Does it give you a monopoly on caring? I’ve seen dead kids. Isn’t that enough?’ Grazier seemed to regret the comment in an instant. Tried to give a compassionate look. It turned out better than Bish thought it would.

‘For some reason, people talk to you, Ortley. The chaperones, the kids, the parents, LeBrac, Sarraf. The fucking French even talk to you. The prime minister’s thinking of sending you to the Middle East to get things sorted out over there.’