‘Yes, if we can establish what “this” actually is. The point is that Ozzy Blanchard could only have been involved with one fraud at a time. But the SFO is trying to find a pattern for all the regional contract work overseen by Kelvin Arrowsmith, to show that it was fraudulent. They want to put him at the centre of the case.’

They arrived at Winchester to discover some good news. Rory Tickett had been moved out of B wing and into the segregation unit because of bad behaviour. That meant single-cell occupancy, limited association with other prisoners and consequently a much lower chance of access to phones or drugs.

The big man seemed almost pleased to see them. ‘It’s doing my head in, being in here,’ he said, as soon as they sat down with him.

‘If you co-operate, we can see what might be possible,’ Gillard said, after prepping the tape.

‘I’ll not grass my family up, anything but that.’

‘Okay. But why were you looking for Ozzy Blanchard that day when I came to visit the yard?’

‘He owed us some money, that’s all.’

‘Did you ever get it?’

‘Did we, fuck. I couldn’t find the little bastard, nor his woman.’

‘But you found Arrowsmith.’

He nodded. ‘Yeah, we did. Got a result there.’

Gillard couldn’t believe how readily Rory was spilling the beans.

‘Must’ve been horrible for him down that sewer,’ Shireen volunteered. ‘How could you do that to someone?’

Rory laughed. ‘You should have heard him squealing, when we dragged him across from the car. He knew what we was going to do. That’s when he gave us the passwords. He said the money wouldn’t clear until the Friday, so Pa said. “When it has, we will come and fetch you out.” Oh, but that place stank. Aidan knew how to set the valves, so the shite rose higher and higher.’

‘How did you know that he wouldn’t drown?’

Rory shrugged and then chuckled. ‘We didn’t.’

‘So you got the money?’ Gillard asked.

‘I don’t know. No one tells me anything. Now, I’m not grassing anyone up, understand? I don’t want you using this from me.’ He glanced at the tape. ‘Can you get me bail?’ His brown eyes searched their faces pleadingly.

‘I can’t offer you bail,’ Gillard said, reaching out to turn off the tape. ‘Not with a case of violent abduction, plus of course some vulnerable witnesses who would be terrified if you got out. Still, it should all contribute to a lower sentence, ultimately.’

Rory shook his head. ‘I can’t take it. Cooped up on my own.’

‘I know, it must be hard,’ Shireen said. ‘But you’ve done the right thing.’

‘Now, Dove Cottage,’ Gillard said, prepping the tape for a restart. ‘You lived there for a while, didn’t you?’

Rory looked stricken. ‘Not that, I’m not saying anything about that.’