Jane asked the bank manager if he knew exactly where the men had parked up in the Cortina before the robbery. He pointed across the road.

‘I believe it was on the left side of Aylmer Road as we look at it – about where that white builder’s van is now parked. I didn’t see the car, other than from behind when they made their getaway. I was in the bank during the robbery and set the alarm off when I heard the sound of a shotgun.’

‘Do you know if the area where the Cortina was parked was searched by the scene-of-crime officers?’

‘I would have thought so. I know they fingerprinted the Securicor van, even though the robbers wore gloves, as there was loads of fingerprint dust over the front and back of it.’

Jane knew the initial 999 call, about the suspects in a Cortina, had been made by the landlady of the Crown, but she couldn’t remember her name. The bank manager told her it was Fiona Simpson, and he thought DI Kingston had spoken to her as he saw him going in the pub just after he arrived at the scene.

Jane nodded. ‘Thanks for your help.’

She carefully scanned the street as she crossed slowly over to Aylmer Road where the white van was parked. She checked the pavement and road beside the van but didn’t see anything that caught her eye. She went into the pub; the premises had a large horseshoe bar, wooden floor and a snug area around the other side. Although the decor looked faded the premises had a clean, well-run look about it and an old but pristine Wurlitzer jukebox stood out in the corner of the bar. There were also several framed posters and pictures from Alfred Hitchcock films hanging on the walls, prompting Jane to recall reading somewhere that Hitchcock had been born in Leytonstone High Road, above his father’s grocery shop.

‘What can I get you, luv?’ the woman behind the bar asked as Jane approached.

‘I was looking for Fiona, the landlady.’

She frowned. ‘Are you from the press? Because if you are I can’t help you about the robbery.’

‘No, I’m WDS Tennison,’ Jane replied, showing her warrant card.

Fiona sighed. ‘DI Kingston said he’d ring me first, and I did tell him I wasn’t available until after three. You’ll have to wait until I close the pub to do the artist’s impression.’

‘I’m not a police artist, I’m one of the Flying Squad officers investigating the robbery.’

‘What? You’re Flying Squad? Do me a favour! I’ve met a few in my time and none of them look like you, darling. You’re a reporter and that’s a fake police card you just showed me, ain’t it?’