Leroy Ceejay was arrested in a National Crime Agency drugs raid, in which 1.6 million amphetamine tablets were discovered in a lock-up garage in south-west London. Six members of his group were convicted of dealing and possession, though Ceejay himself was cleared of all of the major charges. Anton St Jeanne’s restaurant won its first Michelin star, and now you can’t get into the place at anything less than a month’s notice. Leticia Mountjoy succeeded Verity Winter, and very much enjoys her new job. While moving in to her former boss’s office she discovered a bottle of what turned out to be Rohypnol solution in a locked drawer. Andrew Wickens was fired from the police and jailed for three and a half years for perverting the course of justice.

Gus van Steenis made his way north from Zimbabwe via Zambia and Angola to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he remains beyond the reach of British justice.

Poppy Tilling was buried in a grand piano case at Sunbury Cemetery, the closest cemetery to the place where her son Robert was last seen playing back in 1986. Her last resting place is something of a place of pilgrimage for those who have lost children, and is looked over by an alabaster angel paid for by her supporters from Justice for Poppy.

The body of Robert has never been found.

The body of Neville Rollason was cremated. Michael Jakes, the only attendee at the private ceremony, took the ashes and one night, at midnight, dropped the urn containing them into the Thames from the bridge to Tagg’s Island.

It made just a small splash.

It was Midsummer’s Night, exactly a year after the discovery of the body in the Thames. Leticia had gone to meet Anton at his restaurant, and after he had finished up, they drove along Hampton Court Road. Anton took the left turn to Tagg’s Island and parked on the bridge. It was very quiet and they both stood looking down into the water, not speaking, but reflecting upon the year that had just passed.

Suddenly there was a movement off to the left near the bank, and a splash.

‘Oh no, not again,’ said Anton.

Leticia grinned at him and looked back at the dark water. There was a silvery V sliding across the faintly rippled surface. ‘I wonder if that’s an otter,’ she said, peering out over the surface of the great river.

‘Better that than a body,’ Anton said.

‘I’ve got a good mind to come back tomorrow night with my camera and see if I can get any pictures. I know someone who would love to see them.’

Acknowledgements