‘You’d be surprised at the stupidity I’ve seen doing this job. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for it, the stupid ones are easier to catch.’

‘I’m sure they are.’

‘What happened with Callie? Did Danny have an opinion who was responsible?’

Sharon stopped writing to look up. ‘Opinion? What do you mean?’

‘Did he talk about wanting to find who was responsible, maybe when the police didn’t come up with someone?’

‘Of course he did. There only had to be a mention of something like it on the news and he was off. Danny was very angry – all the time, it seemed, and at everyone. But not angry enough … Not DC Ribbons.’

‘Was he doing anything himself to try and find out who was responsible?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Did he ever talk about names of anyone he thought could be involved, anything like that?’

‘Not that I knew of, but recently, at the hospital, he said something about speaking to a private investigator. He said this guy told him he had answers. I asked him where he had got the money to pay a private investigator, but he said there was no money involved, he said the bloke just came up to him in a bar.’

‘What did you think of that?’

Sharon shrugged. ‘It doesn’t sound likely, does it? I said it would be someone trying to scam him. If he was in a bar he would be half-cut, maybe stupid enough to go on and pay someone for their bullshit.’

‘Did he do that? Did he pay for information?’ Joel asked.

‘He said he didn’t, said he told him to piss off, but who knows with Danny … Suddenly I feel like I hardly know him.’

‘Did he give you a name or an agency, anything about this guy he is supposed to have met?’

‘No. Just said he was an older fella. He talked about him wearing a suit too, like that meant he could be trusted. Danny was desperate to know who had targeted the girls – our girl – but he was a mess. No way he was thinking straight.’

‘So he never mentioned any names? Anyone he suspected, maybe he even talked about looking for someone?’

‘No. The only thing Danny was looking for was his next drink.’

Joel sat back. ‘I think we should look at the security around you and your family. That would seem sensible.’