James moved on to Janet Dyer and referred to the salient points that arose during their conversation, including her claim that Charlie had told her she would regret it if she spoke to anyone else about their affair.

‘Despite his threat, she insists that she loved the guy,’ James said. ‘She’s clearly upset that he’s dead. But not so Ron Curtis. It was apparently news to the old man that there had been a murder and he said the killer ought to be given a medal. He also said that rats like Charlie don’t deserve to live, which echoes the sentiment of one of the lines from the Christmas card I received.’ James pulled up the picture of the message to remind the team.

‘Now, I don’t believe that Ron Curtis is physically able to have committed the murder,’ he said. ‘He’s in no fit state to do something like that – he struggles even to move around in his bungalow – but I do think it raises questions in respect of his son, Daniel, who was angry with Charlie because he had a go at his dad. Ron said Daniel spent yesterday and last night in Keswick, where he lives, and that he is due back here later this evening. He gave me his son’s number and I’ve tried to ring it but the phone is switched off. We need to talk to him and find out if he was in Keswick, or if it was a story that father and son concocted so that Daniel could go and top Charlie.’

This prompted questions and a brief discussion that ended with agreement that it was a credible scenario and needed to be followed up.

‘I think it’s fair to say that the investigation hasn’t got off to a very promising start,’ James said. ‘We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to find out if the forensic technicians come up with anything on Charlie’s laptop and phone, plus the kitchen knives we took away. I’ll also talk again to Sonia and hopefully track down Daniel Curtis. There’s no point everyone staying in the village overnight, but I’d like at least one officer to hold the fort here in the hall in case anything happens.’

Before ending the meeting, James called DCI Tanner and gave him a full update.

‘The story’s out there,’ Tanner said. ‘I just watched it on the news. We’ve issued a holding statement which will suffice for now. I suggest we all get together at HQ tomorrow at nine and decide how to proceed.’

He then asked James if he was confident that Charlie’s murder was unconnected to the threat in the Christmas card.

‘I wish I could tell you what you want to hear, guv,’ he said. ‘But, based on what we know so far, I really can’t be sure.’

‘That’s what I was afraid you were going to say,’ Tanner said.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

DS Stevens offered to drive his boss home in the pool car, but James decided to walk.