‘It’s still ongoing. I spoke to DC Freeman this morning and there’s good information that the two men they’re watching may hit a jeweller’s in Chingford next Wednesday.’

‘Will we be involved in any pavement ambush?’ Stanley asked.

‘Yes, but I’ll update you on Monday with the state of play and who’ll be doing what.’

There was a buzz of excitement around the room at the thought of arresting armed robbers during the commission of the crime. It was obvious they’d rather be doing that than sitting through another long meeting. Jane doubted if Murphy would let her be involved in the observation or arrests, and resigned herself to being stuck in the office listening to the action on the radio.

‘Anything else anyone wants to raise?’ Murphy asked.

‘Yes, sir,’ Katie piped up. ‘There was the information sheet I gave you about the woman who attended the front counter at Tottenham Police Station last night, which may be relevant.’

‘Thanks for reminding me, Katie.’ He got the form out of his folder. ‘A Miss Emma Wilson told the duty sergeant at Tottenham she was in a local cafe earlier this week and some men were talking about a robbery. It’s information I’d like followed up.’

‘Is that it? Nothing about what the woman heard?’ Kingston asked.

‘The sergeant took the woman’s details and rightly passed it on to us to speak directly to her,’ Katie said.

‘The men we’re after don’t sound like the sort of blokes who’d blab in a public area,’ Baxter remarked.

Murphy said nothing and handed the information report to Jane.

‘I want you to deal with it and determine whether or not it’s connected to our investigation.’

He walked off into his office and closed the door.

Jane rang Tottenham Police Station and was told that the sergeant who’d spoken to Emma Wilson wasn’t on duty until two o’clock. She looked again at the information sheet and was dismayed at the lack of detail. She looked at Miss Wilson’s address on the information sheet but couldn’t find the estate name in the A-Z.

‘You know where the Broadwater Farm estate is?’ she asked Teflon, who was sitting at the desk abutting hers doing some paperwork.

He stopped and looked at her. ‘Why are you interested in the Broadwater?’

‘The woman who went into Tottenham Police Station lives there.’

‘Ring her and ask her to meet you at Tottenham nick.’

‘There’s no phone number on the info sheet, just the address.’

Teflon picked up a paper clip and threw it at Cam to get his attention.

‘Piss off,’ Cam said as the clip bounced off his head.

Teflon gestured with his finger for Cam to join them. Reluctantly he got up and went over to see what he wanted.

‘You OK to get the PC’s statements on your own?’ Teflon asked him.