COOPER SAT AT his desk in the CID room, watching Gavin Murfin studying himself in a hand mirror, rubbing his fingers over his cheeks.

‘What are you doing, Gavin?’ asked Cooper.

‘Wondering whether I should grow a beard,’ said Murfin. ‘It’s such a pain, shaving in the morning, and it’s getting quite fashionable again. What do you think? Would it suit me?’

Cooper looked at him critically. He had some sympathy with the idea. His own electric shaver always seemed to leave a dark shadow that had turned into stubble by evening. If he left off shaving for a day, he looked like a dosser within twenty-four hours. Great for going undercover.

‘Gavin, you’d look like Vincent van Gogh,’ he said. ‘Except your hair’s the wrong colour and you’ve got too many ears.’

Murfin sighed and put the mirror away. ‘Thanks for the advice.’

Fry came through the door briskly, like a woman who had already started the day with a series of minor triumphs.

‘Morning, Gavin. Anything happening?’

‘Yes, Deborah Rawson’s brother has been on local TV news in the West Midlands this morning,’ said Murfin, winking at Cooper.

‘Doing what?’ said Fry.

‘Paying tribute to his brother-in-law. He says he was a dearly loved husband, highly respected by his friends and business colleagues alike, and he will be a great loss to the community in Sutton Coldfield – I quote.’

‘The press will be chasing us for a statement on what progress we’ve made in the enquiry,’ said Cooper.

Murfin nodded. ‘They’ve been chasing already. Mr Hitchens has dealt with some requests from the press office this morning.’

‘But we can’t even confirm it’s a murder enquiry until we get the postmortem report.’

‘That won’t bother the press. Anyway, West Midlands are sending us up a tape of the interview.’

Fry looked at the juniors, DCs Becky Hurst and Luke Irvine. They had been hanging on Murfin’s words as if he was some kind of oracle. But, under Fry’s glare, they became busy with their work.

‘What is this thing about paying tribute to victims?’ said Murfin. ‘What did Patrick Rawson do that was so great, apart from getting himself killed? Which is something any idiot can do, if you ask me.’

‘What do you mean, Gavin?’ asked Cooper.

‘Well, it beats me why people pop up on TV all the time paying tribute to their relatives just because they’ve died suddenly. Being a victim doesn’t actually make you a more worthwhile person, does it? Not in any form. Getting attacked or killed doesn’t make you brave, or good, or clever. Now, getting through life and not being a victim – that’s something to crow about.’

‘That’s a damn cold way of looking at things.’

‘Cold? It’s reality, mate. Reality always was a bit on the cold side.’

‘Speaking of which, I called by the mortuary this morning,’ said Fry. ‘That’s about as cold as you get.’

‘How is the lovely Dr van Doon?’