Dani already had a brief idea of what had happened from the earlier call she’d taken from her boss, DCI McNair, and the follow-up with the PC who’d first been on the scene, and she’d been expecting Easton to be ready and waiting for her. In fact McNair had suggested Easton would be assigned to all of Dani’s cases going forwards. He was the new Jason, basically. Dani felt herself deflate a little at that thought, though she had nothing against Easton. She had no preconception about how good he was at his job or what he was like as a person even. She would soon find out.

‘The victim is female,’ Easton said. ‘Late teens, early twenties. No ID or any personal possessions found on her or nearby. She’s… well, you’ll see for yourself.’

His inability to hold her eye suggested Easton was rattled by the experience of seeing the victim. He was a DS on the Homicide team so it shouldn’t be the first time he’d attended a murder scene and she wasn’t massively impressed with his reaction.

‘Are the homeowners here?’ Dani asked, looking up at the house they were standing by, which she noted was one of the better kept ones on the street.

‘Yeah. Husband and wife are both in the house still. And their dog.’

‘You’ve spoken to them?’

‘Yeah. The dog doesn’t speak much though.’

Dani felt herself smile but she quickly resumed a neutral expression. Easton reached in his pocket and withdrew a notebook, holding it up almost victoriously.

‘Spoke to the husband for a few minutes before you showed up. He and his wife are both pretty shaken. Mr and Mrs Mondy. The husband found the victim. He was getting ready for work just after five. Heard a noise. Opened the door to see a figure, standing over the victim.’

‘A figure?’

‘That’s what he said. The front light came on but it was still dark and he couldn’t give any useful description – tall, short, fat, thin, male, female. Anyway, the killer scarpered. Mondy went to the girl. But there was nothing he could do.’

‘Have you ruled them out?’

‘As suspects? I dunno.’

‘You dunno?’

‘My gut says they’ve got nothing to do with it. Not subtle, is it? Stabbing someone in your front garden.’

‘Subtle? Subtlety is rarely a word I’ve used when describing murder scenes. Their reaction should have told you a lot. Next time make sure you’re still alert and have your brain switched on.’