‘Make finding Faulkner a priority. I’ll give you access to all I have on him, which includes his ANPR data. Ask Hicks and Felton to help you out with enquiries. Klara can look into the ANPR and his mobile phone records as a priority and have her report back to me as soon as she finds anything.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘He doesn’t have much to do with his estranged wife. She despises him, but it’s worth talking to her and his current squeeze, Melanie Suskind.’

*

Archer logs into the police database, looks up the reports from the initial enquiry into Faulkner’s disappearance and finds a nugget within Melanie Suskind’s interview.

She gathers the team together for an update and asks Hicks to interview Faulkner’s ex-wife and focus on the alleged history of domestic violence and any other sort of violence. Klara takes on Faulkner’s ANPR, CCTV and mobile phone, while Os and Tozer examine the Last Supper and Hanged Man videos and look deeper into Ben Peters’ disappearance.

‘DS Quinn and I have an appointment this morning with Melanie Suskind. Before we finish does anyone have any questions?’

There are none.

‘I was using my personal mobile phone, but it’s out of action for the time being. Until I get a new work one, please contact me through DS Quinn’s phone.’

Archer is confident she has covered every base and ends the meeting, but asks Klara to stay. Quinn hangs around as the team disperse. Archer hands across a Post-it note to the analyst.

‘Klara, could you look into who owns this moped? Whoever he is snatched and smashed my mobile phone.’

‘Oh no. Sorry to hear that. Yes, of course I will.’

‘One other thing. How’s it going so far here in Charing Cross?’

Klara shrugs. ‘OK.’

Archer glances at Hicks who is chatting with DS Felton at Felton’s desk. ‘No problems . . . from anyone?’

‘Nothing I can’t handle. Thank you.’

‘Let me know, won’t you?’

‘Of course.’

*

In the car on the way to Westminster Quinn asks Archer how she knows Klara.

‘She was Keegan Clark when we first met. Keegan was a prodigy and what you might think of as a stereotypical nerd who could turn their hand to anything computer related. She was an awkward, gangly young man who wore 1970s brown and purple paisley shirts, sleeveless jumpers and belted overcoats from charity shops. It was geek chic but she knew how to wear that stuff with style, not that anyone else could see that. She was shy and quiet and found it hard to fit in with other police colleagues.’

‘I know the feeling.’

‘I wouldn’t say you were shy, quiet or geeky,’ replies Archer.

‘Maybe a wee bit geeky. You won’t have noticed it as it’s safely buried under the folds of my bodacious masculinity.’