‘And you’ve never come across any record of the crypt’s existence in any documentation? In the school’s records, perhaps.’

‘I have not.’

‘Or heard any rumours that it was there? Among the staff, the pupils?’

‘No, Detective Inspector,’ said the headmaster categorically. ‘Apart from anything else, if anyone connected to the school had known about the crypt, they would surely have mentioned it at the time Ben went missing. There was a thorough search of the entire grounds.’

Fleet hadn’t been around to witness it, but he had his doubts that the search for Ben had been as thorough as Harris seemed to think. Judging from the material on file, a decision appeared to have been made quite early on that Ben had most likely run away, and the search – such as it was – had been staffed mainly by volunteers. In this case, that had meant teachers and other employees of the school, who were likely to have been under pressure to get back to work as quickly as possible.

‘So … and forgive the bluntness of this question, Mr Harris,’ Fleet said, ‘but how do you think Ben’s body got there? If the existence of the crypt was as much of a secret as you claim?’

Now the headmaster reddened slightly. ‘I am not claiming anything, Detective Inspector. I am merely stating the facts.’

‘The facts as you understand them. But do you perhaps have any theories? You must have given it some thought.’

‘I have had a great deal to think about these past few days, Detective Inspector,’ said Harris, clearly struggling now to contain his anger. ‘All I can tell you is that the woods behind the chapel are not off limits. The pupils are free to come and go there whenever their timetables allow. Meaning anyone might have discovered the entrance to the crypt and kept its existence a secret.’

‘True enough,’ said Fleet. ‘Although as I understand it, Beaconsfield’s grounds cover almost a thousand acres. Pupils are also free to go virtually anywhere within the school’s boundaries they wish, are they not?’

‘They are.’

‘And the entranceway to the crypt was exceedingly well hidden. Meaning it would have taken quite a stroke of fortune for someone to have discovered the crypt accidentally. Do you agree, Mr Harris?’

‘I suppose I would have to,’ the headmaster said. He held Fleet’s eye, and his look, to Fleet’s mind, seemed like a challenge. ‘And yet I cannot think of an alternative explanation, Detective Inspector. Can you?’

Ben – February 1997

(Three months before his death)

‘There are only two things you need to know about Beaconsfield. Two things, once you understand them, that will help you survive.’