Verity turned to Morgan. ‘Presumably you can trace cars that come along the road outside on those number plate cameras?’

He smiled. ‘You mean automatic number plate recognition? No, the nearest ANPR camera is miles away. It’s the first thing Surrey police looked at.’

Jill Allsop asserted herself. ‘Look, our job isn’t particularly to find him, nor to drag him from place to place in handcuffs. The Parole Board decided to trust him. That was their decision, based on dozens of psychological and psychiatric assessments. Although we had input, the decision was theirs.’ She smiled. ‘If he doesn’t turn up voluntarily to planned probation meetings, or mandatory therapy, on time every time, he is in breach of his licence conditions and can be returned to jail. Simple as that.’

Everyone nodded, grateful for the context and logic that Jill’s leadership always brought. ‘Leticia,’ Jill continued. ‘When you last spoke to Neil Wright, did he seem content with the arrangements that had been made?’

‘Yes. Well pleased, as he damn well should have been considering what a great house has been provided for him.’

‘And in your view, did he seem to have come to terms with his crimes? Did he express any remorse?’

Leticia shrugged. ‘We mainly discussed practicalities. Personally, I thought the decision releasing him was wrong – or at least premature.’

Jill looked down at her documents. ‘There’s nothing here in your meeting report about that.’

‘Well, what would be the point? He just gave me the creeps. While we were sitting there in the interview room, he was looking around and even eyed up one of the younger male prison officers. He made some inappropriate comment…’

‘What kind of comment?’

‘Something about “downy little moustaches and long eyelashes”. It wasn’t so much his comment as the fact he felt the confidence to make it in front of me. I got the impression he couldn’t wait to get back to the fray.’

‘You felt he might reoffend?’

‘It was just a hunch. I didn’t know, and I didn’t want to mark myself out as a dissident.’

Verity was now scrutinising Leticia very closely. ‘Why was that?’ she asked. ‘You’re paid for your judgement.’

Leticia sighed. ‘Look, I was given this assignment when all the big decisions had already been made. I don’t think anyone was interested in my opinion.’

‘So what is your opinion?’ Verity asked.

‘I think Neville Rollason—’

‘Neil Wright, please,’ Jill interrupted.