Detective Inspector Claire Mulholland had gone the formal route in her approach to Gus van Steenis. The nine a.m. appointment meant she had to hang around a little after giving Baz a lift for his eight a.m. start. She left the car at the gate and, when Baz was buzzed through over the intercom, she walked in with him. The Holdersham Estate still boasted many of the stately-home attributes that had made it such an attractive preparatory school. A long ride of lime trees led up to the main house, and to the left were buildings that had previously housed the sports changing rooms. Between her and them were a series of substantial railings with padlocked gates. Beyond them, in front of a screen of bushes, she could see a woman in a green uniform manoeuvring a bale of straw in a wheelbarrow. Claire called her over, and after a couple of minutes she came to the other side of the railings. ‘Can I help you?’ she asked. She was in her early thirties, pretty and slim. Juliette, according to her badge, a name that seemed familiar. Claire had overheard PC Wickens going on endlessly about someone of that name to his mates in the canteen. Seeing the woman, she understood.

Claire flashed her detective ID and explained that she had an interview with the manager at nine. Juliette looked at her watch and plucked out the walkie-talkie radio clipped to her belt. ‘I’ll call him to let him know that you’re here.’

‘In a minute,’ Claire said. ‘I just wondered if I could ask you a few questions about the owner.’

‘Sheikh Khalil? I’ve only ever seen him from a distance. He’s hardly ever here.’

‘Not here now?’

‘We’d know. Comes in by helicopter. If you want to know anything about him, you should ask Gus, he’s the manager.’

‘I’m not after the official version. I’ll be discreet and won’t be making notes.’

‘Okay,’ Juliette said, her glance crawling sideways to the big house as if she could be overheard.

‘How long have you worked here?’

‘Just over two years.’

‘How many members of staff are there here?’

‘Is this about licensing, or something else?’ she asked.

‘Mainly licensing.’

‘Well, four of us to look after the animals. I don’t know how many work inside the house. Maybe two or three. He sometimes uses conservation volunteers too, to clear the scrub.’

‘Has anyone left or been fired recently?’

‘Not that I know of.’

‘Any foreign nationals?’

‘Only in the house, I think they all are.’

‘Can I see the new building?’

‘There’s nothing to see yet. Just a bunch of workmen finishing off.’

‘Humour me.’