James suspected it was time to ask for more resources so they could cast the net wider. They could get officers to visit every home in the village and search all those where the owner or occupant aroused suspicion. There was only one road in and out of the village, so perhaps they should also get officers to check all cars entering and leaving. They could even impose a curfew prohibiting anyone from taking to the streets after dark.

These were extreme measures, and he wasn’t sure that Tanner and the people above him would support them, but right now, James was prepared to do whatever it took to catch the killer and stop the body count from rising still further.

It came as no surprise to James that The White Hart was still closed. He doubted that it would open in the foreseeable future.

He rang the front doorbell and had to wait for a full minute before Sonia Jenkins appeared. A grim smile flitted across her face when she saw him.

‘Have you come to tell me that you’ve arrested Charlie’s killer?’ she said.

‘I’m afraid I haven’t, Mrs Jenkins,’ he replied. ‘I’ve dropped by to see how you are and to ask you a couple more questions. May I come in?’

‘Of course.’

She was wearing a baggy green tracksuit, and her hair was swept away from her face into a ponytail.

He followed her through the bar and up the stairs to the flat.

When they reached the kitchen, he accepted her offer of a coffee and said, ‘Are you here by yourself?’

She nodded, flicking on the kettle. ‘I have been since yesterday when I told your family liaison officer that she didn’t need to stay any longer. My daughter Maddie is due to arrive at Heathrow from Dubai this afternoon. She’ll be coming straight here.’

‘How are you coping?’

‘It’s not easy, and it got harder after I heard about Lorna Manning. I gather you believe that whoever killed Charlie also killed her.’

James removed his coat and sat at the table.

‘It certainly looks that way,’ he said. ‘In fact, one of the questions I was going to ask you concerns Miss Manning.’

She turned to face him, resting her back against the worktop.

‘I suppose you’d like to know if she and Charlie were involved with each other in any way.’

‘Well, were they?’

‘I’m convinced they weren’t. And whenever Lorna came here to the pub to eat or drink, which wasn’t often, he didn’t seem particularly interested in her. I’m sure I would have noticed if he had.’

‘So did he ever talk about her to you?’

‘Not that I recall. And I can’t actually think of a single thing they had in common.’

Sonia poured the coffees and put both mugs on the table. She sat opposite James and he felt a rush of compassion for her. Charlie obviously hadn’t been the perfect husband, and had let her down, but it was clear that she had loved him, and now missed him.