After a couple of minutes’ silence Rachel opened her eyes and started to sign to Emma, who translated.

‘She says they came in about half past nine again and M1 looked angry, then pointed his finger at M2 and said, “I told you Riley was a hothead.” M2 said something but she couldn’t see his lips and M1 replied, “Yesterday was a total fuck-up.” M2 said something about having to get a loan for Tina’s wedding as a monkey from the job wasn’t enough.’

Jane held her hand up for Rachel to pause.

‘How sure are you he said the names Tina and Riley?’

Rachel was sure about Tina, but not so confident about Riley.

Jane knew a monkey was London slang for five hundred pounds, and asked Rachel if she realised it meant a sum of money. She shook her head and signed that another man walked up to the table, but because of where he stood, she then couldn’t see M1’s lips. M2 moved along a seat to let the man sit down.

‘Had you seen him in the cafe before?’ Jane asked, and Rachel shrugged. ‘Can you describe him and what he was wearing?’

Emma translated her reply. ‘She says she never got a look at his face as he had his back to her. He was quite tall, maybe three or four inches more than you, with dark slicked-back hair that was neatly cut. He wore a knee-length brown camel hair coat, which had a black suede collar, and was carrying a black leather briefcase.’

‘Did M1 say anything to him when he sat down?’

‘Not at first. The man sat down, put the briefcase on the table, then opened it and took out a large brown envelope, which he handed to M1, who put it on the table beside him without opening it. Then M1 said something about not letting him down and they shook hands.’

Jane held her hand up for them to pause while she wrote in her pocket notebook.

‘Did M1 and the man have any more conversation?’

Rachel signed to Emma.

‘M1 said something about having a nice X . . . J . . . S on the front and asked the man if he was interested, and the man nodded.’

‘Did you notice if there was a Jaguar car outside the cafe?’

Rachel looked puzzled. Emma explained that they knew nothing about the makes or models of cars, but she did see him get into a vehicle parked on the opposite side of Bruce Grove and drive off towards the High Road.

‘Can you describe his car?’ Jane asked.

Rachel shrugged as she signed to Emma.

‘She said it was a shiny maroon colour, quite long, with one door on the side and expensive-looking.’

‘Did you see his face as he left?’