‘The same Christmas card was also handed to my wife yesterday by Janet Dyer, the woman who had an affair with Charlie Jenkins. The message in it wasn’t sinister and it hadn’t been written with a black marker. However, I still intend to go and ask her about it.’

He then pointed to one of the newly arrived detectives, DC Colin Patterson.

‘I’d like you to take some uniforms and go house-to-house again in Willow Road. When we first spoke to Lorna’s neighbours, they were all in a state of shock. Their heads will be clearer now so maybe they’ll recall something they forgot to mention on Sunday about Lorna herself.’

James was then told that Craig and Barbara Wilson had been spoken to and had confirmed that Peter King and his wife had attended their Christmas party on Saturday night.

They carried on discussing the case for another thirty minutes, during which a number of tasks were assigned, including obtaining a warrant to access the phone records and digital footprints of Giles Keegan and Keith Patel. Someone back in Kendal would also be instructed to go through the electoral roll for Kirkby Abbey and check to see if any of the residents on it sparked a red flag, perhaps because they had a criminal record.

Three of the patrol officers were told to take to the streets and to make themselves highly visible.

‘Engage with anyone who approaches you,’ James said. ‘And be suspicious of those who come on strong and ask a lot of detailed questions about what progress we’re making. It’s not uncommon for murderers, and especially serial killers, to try to solicit information about a case or even embed themselves in the investigation if they can.’

James then received a call from DS Stevens in Kendal off the back of the team briefing there.

‘I’ve got a few updates for you, guv,’ he said. ‘Detective Ackerman in Cornwall just got back to us. He’s confirmed that Andrew Sullivan was telling the truth about being down there for the past week. They’ve checked his accommodation and CCTV clips which show him at various locations in Newquay between Friday and Monday. Daniel Curtis’s alibi also checks out. He was definitely in Kendal on Saturday night when Charlie Jenkins was murdered.’

‘So those two come off the list of suspects,’ James said. ‘It doesn’t leave us with much.’

‘The news from the forensic lab won’t cheer you up either,’ Stevens said. ‘Nothing has shown up on any of the cards or items taken from the victims’ homes. And I’ve spoken to the pathologist who has now carried out both post-mortems. She confirms that there is no evidence to suggest that Charlie and Lorna struggled with their assailant. The stab wounds on both of them have the same characteristics. Penetration up to eight inches, which indicates an exceptionally long non-serrated blade. The blade is also wider and thicker than most kitchen knives. So it’s possible that some kind of fixed-blade fighting or hunting knife, such as a Bowie knife, was used.’