By nine a.m. on Sunday morning, Gillard was once again back in Rissington Common, this time interviewing Stewie Ransome in the presence of his mother in their cottage. Also present was PC Sarah Noakes, who had interviewed the young man before.

‘I want to emphasise, Stewie, that you are not in trouble, we just need to know where you got the rusty dagger,’

‘The officer means your lightsabre,’ Sheila said.

‘I forget,’ Stewie replied.

‘Didn’t you get it in a swap with Callum?’ Sheila said. ‘You gave him your plastic soldiers.’

‘When was that?’ Gillard asked.

Stewie looked at his mother for clarification.

‘You had it in that old biscuit tin for at least two years,’ she said.

‘Two years,’ Stewie said, triumphantly.

The next question Gillard had prepared in advance with help from Sarah Noakes, who had experience interviewing vulnerable adults. ‘Now Stewie, have you ever pretended to stab someone with your lightsabre? Have you ever hit anyone with it by accident?’

He shook his head. ‘I don’t hit people. Hitting is wrong.’ He began chewing his lips, and staring at his mother. ‘I didn’t do anything.’

‘Stewie, we’re just trying to find the truth,’ PC Noakes said with a smile. ‘You’re not in trouble.’

Stewie blinked. ‘Can I go and play, Mum?’

‘No, dear.’

‘In a little while,’ Gillard said.

‘It was the vicar, in the library, with the dagger,’ Stewie said.

‘What library?’ PC Noakes asked.

‘He’s just referring to Cluedo. He’s obsessed with it,’ Sheila said.

Gillard stared into the young man’s face. He had an open countenance, radiating innocence. His pale eyelashes quivered. ‘I didn’t kill him,’ Stewie said.

‘Who didn’t you kill?’ Gillard asked.

‘Anyone.’

Gillard was far from convinced they were making any progress. He and PC Noakes thanked Mrs Ransome and left the cottage, heading up the road to the next interview, with Vicky Willow and her son Callum. ‘Whatever you do,’ he said to PC Noakes. ‘Do not accept any food at the Anvil.’

‘Don’t worry, sir, I’ve heard about its reputation. So this Callum is just a seven-year-old lad?’

‘That’s right. I’m far from convinced that any of this will shed any light on who wielded the dagger. It’s much more likely that the rusty dagger was found by Callum after it had been used in the murder. We just need to know where he found it.’

Gillard casually checked his phone, where a text had just come through. The two-word message from DC Rainy Macintosh almost floored him.

Rory’s confessed

Chapter Twenty-seven

Rory ‘Typhoon’ Tickett had admitted killing Tomas Valdovas. The confession was made to a prison psychiatrist assessing his mental health at HMP Winchester. The email forwarded by Rainy described how the former boxer had got into an argument with Valdovas in the bar late one night just as the Anvil was closing.