Perry shook his head in disbelief.

‘Halliday wasn’t a husband or a dad, and wasn’t involved in providing for or supporting anyone but himself,’ Rainy said. ‘He seems to have lived entirely on money cadged, borrowed or stolen from the various women in his life, who he moved between on a rota that was set down on his spreadsheet. That was his career, and it was pretty much full time. We know about the fourteen grand he took from Ellen Bramley, and we can see from the Geraint Harris accounts that he has had over a hundred and fifty grand from his wife in the last year. There was a lot of money coming in, but just as much going out. The numerous cars, the jet ski, and so on. He regularly booked himself escorts too, according to the Geraint Harris cards.’

Gillard turned to look at Perry, who shook his head ruefully. ‘I don’t think Mel would have given him anything. She is pretty shrewd.’

The other detectives looked meaningfully at each other but said nothing.

‘Sam had always told me what a fragile ego Gary Harrison had,’ Gillard said. ‘Charming at first, paying lip-service to women’s rights and equality, but it was always to an end. She felt used by him, as if he owned her.’

‘Until you turned up,’ Rainy said. ‘I’ve been giving this some thought. I’m sure that’s why you were targeted. He’d probably never lost a woman to another man before, and even though it was years before, he couldnae handle it. I’m sure that’s the motive for targeting you and Sam. He was after revenge.’

‘And any woman who resisted, got murdered,’ Perry said.

Rainy snorted in disagreement. ‘You didn’t even have to resist. Valerie Turner died a year after her compensation was paid. It seemed like natural causes, but there’s an incriminating note on the spreadsheet giving a “termination day” for her.’

‘Rainy, that’s great work you’ve done,’ Gillard said.

‘Well, he seemed to write everything down, so once we cracked the access code with Rob’s help, this whole Pandora’s box of crime just opened up on the laptop. According to both Ellen Bramley and Angie Wright, they never knew when he was due to arrive. But he was careful to be considerate and charming,’ Rainy said, her eyebrows raised in bemusement. ‘Let me read you something from Valentine’s Day this year, when our wee love rat was as busy as a blue-arsed fly. “Posted roses for Ellen, Sophie and Vanessa. Massage (!) with Mel 11.40 a.m. at Wholebods, lunch after at Creighton Hotel…”’

‘The absolute bastard!’ Perry exclaimed. ‘I’d got Valentine’s Day off, but Mel turned down my offer of lunch because she insisted she had a client who booked in months ago!’ He stood up, his face flushed.

‘Och, I’m sorry, John.’

‘It was a bit thoughtless, Rainy,’ Gillard said, as he watched Perry storm off.

‘I’ll just finish this wee bit while he is not here. “Dinner with Angie (bring jewellery) at Gilded Swan, room booked. Two a.m. slipped out for Vanessa: ten-minute BJ in back of car”.’