The presenter said: ‘In Mr Rollason’s case it seems that his release by the Parole Board is closely tied to his agreeing to identify places where he buried the bodies of two of his victims. So what do the families of the victims think?’ The TV cut to a living room, where a frail elderly couple sat on a settee, the woman holding a handkerchief close to her nose. ‘Mrs Cooper,’ the presenter intoned. ‘Describe what it’s been like for you to deal with the knowledge that the killer of your son will be released in a few days.’

‘I can’t believe it,’ she said. ‘My Daniel is lost to me for ever. He’s got no life, and we’ve only got grief. But somehow this… beast is to be let out.’

‘Was it not a comfort to you to be told of your son’s final resting place?’

The woman’s already-lined face folded in upon itself even further at the question and she was unable to speak. But her husband, his arm squeezing tighter around her shoulder, said: ‘It’s true, it gave us some comfort, but if we knew that the murderer would be allowed out, we would never have agreed. It’s barbaric.’

Wright rocked back in his chair and laughed at the screen. One week and one day, that’s all he had to wait.

‘I understand you were notified of the release date by the Ministry of Justice only last week,’ the presenter said.

‘That’s right,’ Mrs Cooper said. ‘It’s a horrible shock. I just hope no other mother has to go through what I’ve been through over the last thirty-five years. My son would be nearly forty-seven now.’

‘I tell you what else,’ her husband said. ‘I don’t agree with Rollason being given a new identity. That’s just not right. That means he could soon be anywhere.’

‘That’s right.’ The prisoner chuckled, turning off the TV. ‘That’s absolutely right. Anywhere I bloody want.’

Elvira Hart was just getting ready to go to bed when she heard a noise like footsteps outside on the gravel path. Nudging aside the lace curtains and peering from her houseboat window, she couldn’t immediately see anything. She was moored on the northern side of Ash Island, and though it could be quite busy with pleasure craft during the day, this late at night it was very unusual to hear anything nearby apart from ducks and geese. Neither of the neighbouring houseboats were occupied. The owners were abroad and had both left her keys. As far as she knew she was the only one currently resident on this side of the island. She checked the brass clock on the mantelpiece. It had just gone midnight.