‘That’s not p-possible,’ he stammered. ‘My Daniel’s in bed. He must be.’

James seized the initiative and stepped forward. He put an arm around Ron and eased him gently back into the hallway.

‘Let’s go inside and we’ll tell you what’s happened,’ he said, leaving Abbott to close the door behind them.

In the living room, James got Ron to sit down in his armchair before he gave him the details.

It took a minute or so for the man to process what he was being told. When he got there the shock began to vent itself through shoulder-wrenching sobs.

Over the next half an hour they managed to establish that Ron had last seen his son about eight o’clock the previous evening.

‘That was when I told him I was going to bed,’ Ron said. ‘I was dog-tired and bored watching the same old rubbish on the box. Daniel said he was going to pop along to the pub. I heard him go out and that was that.’

‘Did he often go to The King’s Head?’ James asked.

‘Not really. When he was here, he usually stayed in with me because he didn’t like it when people looked down their noses at him. But these last few days he’s been really down and anxious, for obvious reasons. He liked to drink and I don’t keep much in the house so he’s been out a couple of times to clear his head.’

Ron allowed them to go and look around Daniel’s room, but they found nothing of interest. He’d brought little with him for his Christmas stay with his father.

Back downstairs, James asked Ron if there was anyone they could contact who could come and be with him.

‘Janet,’ he blurted without hesitation. ‘Ask Janet to come over.’

When they left him, he was sobbing in the armchair, his face smeared with saliva and mucus from his nose and mouth.

They headed straight to Janet Dyer’s place and found that she was up and dressed, but nursing a hangover.

When James told her about Daniel, she blinked a couple of times, completely nonplussed.

‘Was he murdered like the others?’ she said. ‘Is that what happened to him?’

‘It’s too early to say for sure, Miss Dyer,’ James said. ‘His body has only just been found. The reason we’re here is that his father has naturally taken the news very badly. When I asked him if he would like someone to be with him, he said he wanted you.’

Janet pushed back her shoulders and gave a stiff nod.

‘That’s not a problem,’ she said. ‘I’m his carer so I’ll go over there right away.’

‘That’s great, Miss Dyer. Thank you. But first I’d like to check something with you. Daniel spent last evening drinking at The King’s Head. Were you also there, by any chance?’

She glared at him and shook her head. ‘I was here all by myself all night, Detective. I had only wine and gin for company. And if that’s not a convincing enough alibi then tough shit.’