Once the service had finished, Gillard became aware of Ray Slater standing at the back of the congregation. Like him, Slater was in a suit and didn’t quite seem to fit in with the others there. They briefly made eye contact above their masks, but while Gillard had more questions to ask Slater, it was more urgent to speak to the priest. It soon became clear that getting the Rev Matthew Cleaver on his own would not be easy. A press of women had gathered around him with no regard for social distancing. Amongst them he recognised Rowena Willow. Gillard waited patiently as the vicar gradually extricated himself from several conversations to get to the detective.

‘Welcome to St Crispin’s,’ Cleaver said, his bright blue eyes flashing and his mask now in place. ‘Come and have a cup of tea and a slice of cake with me. Victoria sponge.’

‘Only if we can do so safely. I’m here on a work-related matter.’

Cleaver chuckled. ‘Of course you are! Let’s go to my home, where there is a bit of privacy.’

In the churchyard, Gillard noticed Slater in conversation with Rowena Willow. Her body language was defensive, and she seemed eager to get away from the private detective.

The priest led Gillard out of the church grounds, followed by the gaze of a few of the ladies. They crossed the lane and went up a garden path to Dove Cottage, a small terraced house with peeling paint and unwashed windows. Cleaver let them in, offered the detective some hand sanitiser, then showed him through to a cosy but untidy dining room, heaped with clothes, books and papers. It looked like a cross between a library and a teenager’s bedroom.

‘Take a seat, detective chief inspector, I shall be in shortly,’ Cleaver called as he ascended the stairs. When he returned, he’d changed into jeans, a loose black shirt and a slightly worn corduroy waistcoat. A mask dangled around his neck. ‘I suppose this is about the body found by the riverbank?’

‘That’s right. I’m really trying to get a picture of what has been going on in Rissington Common over the last year or two.’

‘So is this now being treated as a crime?’

‘We’re keeping an open mind, but you will undoubtedly have heard that the body we found is modern, not historic.’

‘Yes, Rowena told me all about it. So you think Ozzy Blanchard may have been killed by someone in the village?’

‘Well, that would be a bit of a leap at this stage. We’re not officially confirming the identity until all tests are completed.’