‘I did get a bit of a shock when I was walking past the primary school,’ he said. ‘There was a bloke standing across the road under a tree and he caught my eye when he lit up a fag. I got a good look at his face, and saw that it was your old flame, Daniel Curtis. He has a lot less hair now, but I’d recognise that pervy bastard anywhere. Did you know he was back, Annie?’

She started to reply, but the words got stuck in her throat.

CHAPTER NINE

After phoning Annie, James called headquarters and filed a brief report on the vandalised grave. He sent across pictures he’d taken on his phone with his notes, though he knew full well that not much would come of it. Theft and vandalism at churches across the country were a growing problem and the culprits were rarely apprehended.

He also made arrangements for a patrol car to pick up the card and the mirror containing Father Silver’s prints. He did consider driving them over to the lab himself, but decided his time would be better spent making some enquiries in the village.

Before leaving St John’s, he’d obtained an assurance from the priest that he’d keep quiet about what he knew.

It had been an interesting meeting, but James came away from it none the wiser as to what was going on. Keith Patel had struck him as a troubled individual, but not someone who would get his own back by murdering – or threatening to murder – those people he believed should have visited his mother before she died of her injuries. All the same, James did intend to speak to him later and perhaps even seek a warrant to search his home. But he knew that once the process became official the word would spread and it could trigger unnecessary panic among the villagers.

He decided that before meeting Annie at the pub, he’d visit the general store to check whether it sold those Twelve Days of Christmas cards. On the way, he took out his phone and called DCI Tanner to update him.

The boss was none too pleased to hear that another card had turned up. He admitted that he hadn’t expected it, and was concerned that it’d get picked up by the media.

‘If that happens it’ll be blown out of all proportion and whatever we do won’t be enough,’ he said. ‘So try to keep a lid on it at least until we can be sure what we’re dealing with.’

‘It would help if I’d been living here longer,’ James said. ‘As it is, I’m still not that familiar with the village or those who live here.’

‘Well, DS Stevens used to reside over that way before moving to Burneside. You can pick his brain. Or, better still, look up Giles Keegan. He had my job here until five years ago when he retired. It’s my understanding he still lives in Kirkby Abbey.’