‘He’s an old adversary who is currently wanted in connection with a gangland murder,’ James said. ‘My former colleagues in the Met discovered that he got someone to come to Cumbria to take photographs of my wife and I. We don’t know why but we have to assume they weren’t to put in an album. My house is therefore under surveillance as a safety measure. But I’m determined not to let it distract me or any of you from our investigation.’

He answered a few questions and addressed a couple of concerns then ended the briefing and went and got himself a coffee. While he drank it, he called Annie to make sure that she was all right. She assured him that she was and asked him if he’d heard any more about Sullivan.

‘No, I haven’t, but I’m expecting to hear back from Leo soon and when I do, I’ll let you know,’ he said.

‘When will you be home?’

‘A couple more hours.’

‘I’m just planning on having a sandwich for dinner. What about you? Shall I cook you something?’

‘No, love. A sandwich will be fine.’

James spent the next hour typing up his notes and reading through the statements that had been taken. He also phoned Savage’s mother to update her and tell her that she wouldn’t be able to see her son today. He informed her that Neil was being charged with possessing drugs, but she already knew that because she’d talked to the lawyer.

The longer that James sat at his desk, the less positive he felt about the investigation. Suspects were falling by the wayside while at the same time questions were piling up.

How much of what Neil Savage had told them was the truth? Was someone spying on the family through the peephole in the wall when it all kicked off? Was that someone Kenneth O’Connor, the man who used to work at the farm and made a habit of stealing things?

James hadn’t entirely ruled out the murder-suicide theory. But it was challenged by one significant factor – the bloody shoeprints.

There was also the fact that Charlotte was stabbed to death. It seemed inconceivable that either of her parents would have done it, so did she do it to herself or was someone else responsible?

There were so many ways in which the scene might have been played out. But no single scenario was glaringly obvious based on the evidence they had to work with.

James got up from his chair and walked over to the whiteboards, hoping that something he’d missed until now might jump out at him.