‘Right, I’d like to go through this morning’s robbery step by step. I don’t normally have to remind you of this, but for the benefit of our new arrival, DS Tennison – what is said within these four walls remains within these four walls.’ He looked at Jane, who nodded.

Murphy continued, ‘DI Kingston has already briefed me on what the landlady of the Crown told him. It would seem she’s our best witness as she at least got a look at the driver of the Cortina. Anyway, Stewart, can you tell us what she saw and give us the description of the driver?’

Kingston got out his pocket notebook but said he’d yet to take a full statement from Fiona. The artist’s impression of the driver was being done at 5 p.m., so it should be with them in the morning for circulation. He went over what Fiona had told him and when he gave the description of the driver he spoke slowly, so Katie could write it on the flip chart. As Kingston was about to continue the Colonel spoke up.

‘You might like to add “shit-hot driver” to that description—’

‘Why would that be, Colonel?’ Murphy asked.

‘I spoke to the driver of Juliet 1 before he was carted off in the ambulance. He’s an experienced Class 1 driver himself and said the driver of the Cortina knew how to handle the car at high speeds.’

Katie wrote ‘shit-hot driver’ on the flip chart, which made the Colonel chuckle.

‘“Good driving skills” would have been fine,’ Kingston told her with a smile.

Katie looked flustered. ‘I assumed those were the exact words the police driver used.’

Kingston continued, ‘The landlady said the driver was late thirties to mid-forties. The collar on his donkey jacket was pulled up and he wore a grey cloth cap, pulled forward as if trying to conceal his face. When the three men got out of the car they walked in an “A” formation. She thought the man at the front was about five foot ten, and the one behind on his right was about the same – he carried the sawn-off in his right hand. The third man, who got out of the front passenger seat, was about six foot two, wearing a light-coloured stocking mask and had some sort of gun in his right hand.’

Jane flicked through her pocket notebook. Abby had said the tall man was wearing a mask over his face, but when Jane asked if it was a balaclava she said yes. Of course, being distressed at the time, she might have been mistaken.

‘Can any of the guards help us with a detailed description of the handgun?’ Murphy asked, but there was no immediate reply.

Dabs raised his hand. ‘DS Tennison found some spent nine-mill cartridge cases before I got to the Woodville Road scene. The stamp on the cases revealed they were made in 1943.’