‘I dunno, I mean he was all tanned and dressed nice and buying up loads of drinks for Danny. Then he tells me he’s taking him back to his room and slips me a wad to forget all about it.’

‘You thought he was going to rape Danny Evans in his hotel room?’ DS Rose cut in with what was quickly becoming her custom subtlety.

‘Nah, not like rape! Shit, you go straight for the throat, don’t ya! I was thinking that maybe he was trying to get Danny to do something he might not do when he was sober. I dunno. There was just something odd about the fella.’

‘Odd?’

‘Intense. The way he looked at Danny. And thinking back, he might have been loading him up with the drinks. He definitely wanted something from him. And Danny’s reaction, seemed to me like he wasn’t too pleased to see him but at the same time he didn’t tell him to piss off, you know? It was all a bit odd.’

‘What did you mean by well-dressed?’ Joel interjected, taking over the questioning again.

‘Suited. But a good suit, like when you get all measured up an’ that. Then there were shoes and a nice coat over the lot. Flashy watch too. All in he looked like he weren’t short of a few bob.’

‘What do you remember about the watch?’

‘Big, silver strap and face. Expensive-looking, that’s about it.’

‘Was he staying here?’ Joel asked.

‘I don’t think so.’

‘What about his car? Did you see him turn up?’

‘Nope. Or leave. Saturdays are the busiest afternoons.’

‘Does the CCTV cover the car park?’

‘Not really, only a bit round the back. But, like I said, you’ll have to go over to the hotel for all that.’

‘Anything else you want to tell us? Anything else that might be relevant?’

‘Not that I can think of.’

Joel took a moment. ‘Was it just one time that this man was in here talking to Danny?’

‘No. A couple of times at least. But all the last few days.’

‘And you hadn’t seen him before that?’

Darryl shrugged. ‘A lot of people come and go. I only noticed him when he was talking to Danny. I ain’t saying he hasn’t been in here before but I don’t remember him.’

‘OK. I’ll get someone up here who has the time to go through the CCTV over at reception.’

‘Someone?’

‘A detective.’

‘You got somewhere to be?’ Daryl was back to grinning. ‘Maybe you could leave your colleague here? I can do her another bittersweet and make sure she gets all the help she needs?’ Joel couldn’t knock his persistence but it was DS Rose who reacted by pushing a ten-pound note onto the bar.

‘For the drinks,’ she said and gathered up her things to leave.