‘Well we need to find those reasons then, surely? Otherwise his name, his existence, is just another loose end. A loose end that could mean much more.’

‘I know that. I’m just giving you the low down on where we’re at. I’d thought you’d want to know.’

‘Yeah, but why are you doing that, Jason? You said we needed to talk, as though there’d been a massive breakthrough or something. Or because you needed my help. But it looks like all you’ve got at the minute is a couple of bits of circumstantial crap, and clearly you’ve already made your own minds up about what that means. Really, I’m not sure why you bothered.’

‘I wanted to tell you where we’d got to because I thought it might help you,’ Jason said, his tone now hard, clearly agitated by Dani’s questioning. ‘If Harland is the killer then—’

‘Help me? Harland still got killed out on that road. Even if he turns out to be a murderer, I’ve still got to live with what happened, with what I saw, and with the knowledge that it was my actions that led to his death. And it’s not going to stop McNair and Baxter if they want rid of me.’

‘You don’t know that.’

‘Yes I do. This was never about Harland. It’s about them not wanting me on the force.’

‘Why the hell would you think that?’

‘I just do.’

The two of them went silent for a few moments as they both focused on eating in a bid to overcome the awkwardness.

‘Look, I’m sorry,’ Dani said after a couple of minutes, when she felt her anger subsiding. ‘I appreciate you trying to help me. But those notes. They must mean something.’

‘Maybe they do. But you must know it’s just as likely they’re from some stalker, as it is that they’re from someone who’s actually involved in these murders.’

‘Do you honestly believe that?’

Jason said nothing to that. Dani looked away, still thinking.

‘I went to see Professor Steven Grant today,’ she said.

‘Ethan Grant’s dad?’

‘The one and the same.’

‘You’re suspended and you’re off out speaking to the father of someone who is possibly a murder suspect?’

Dani gave Jason a hard look. ‘A minute ago you said he wasn’t a suspect. That he might even be a victim.’

‘Ok, but he is a person of interest, whichever way you look at it. McNair will hang you out to dry if she knows you’re interfering with the investigation.’

‘Yeah, but you’re not going to tell her. Are you?’

Jason humphed. ‘Of course I’m not. But that doesn’t mean it won’t come out. I’m not threatening you; I just don’t want you getting into even more trouble.’