James cast his mind back to the chat they’d had with Nash. He’d said that Charlotte’s death had broken his heart because he’d never wanted their relationship to end. He’d also denied stalking her, but admitted that he still had strong feelings for her.

James also recalled how Neil Savage had described Nash as a ‘pathetic prick’ and a ‘weirdo’, and that he’d claimed that Charlotte treated Nash like a pet when they were together.

‘I wonder how much time he spent behind that wall,’ Abbott said. ‘And whether there was ever anyone with him.’

‘I don’t think it’s a group thing,’ James said, and then went on to tell her about the case of Daniel LaPlante.

‘I’m sure I read about that,’ she said.

‘The perv was living inside the walls of that house for months while spying on the girl he fancied and her sister. Perhaps Nash got the idea from him.’

‘What are you thinking, guv, that Nash was in the cellar space and suddenly decided to go into the house and carry out the killings after Neil Savage left?’

‘That’s one possible scenario. Another is that he was hiding there and witnessed what happened through the peephole.’

‘But wouldn’t he have called us?’

‘Not necessarily. By raising the alarm, he’d have put himself in the frame, and he wouldn’t have wanted that.’

‘Which is what Dean Foreman claims prevented him from calling the police.’

‘Another possible scenario is that Foreman is lying and did go into the house where he got into a fierce argument with Robert Bateman. It then turned nasty and he went berserk and stabbed Charlotte and shot her parents. If Nash witnessed everything, he could have been too shocked and scared to do anything about it, and as he likely had no idea who Foreman was he decided to go home and keep quiet in the hope that he wouldn’t be drawn into it.’

Abbott let her breath escape in a slow whistle. ‘Whatever the truth, guv, I’m pretty sure that people will be talking about this case in years to come. And eventually someone might even turn it into a book.’

They arrived at Nash’s place at the same time as the patrol car, and followed it down the short driveway into the yard.

‘His van isn’t here,’ Abbott observed. ‘Probably means he’s out.’

‘That won’t stop us going in now that we’ve got a warrant,’ James said.

The two cars came to a stop in front of Nash’s cottage. There was no sign of the man and no response when James knocked on the door.

‘We need to get forensics here,’ he said.

‘Should we call Nash?’ Abbott replied. ‘I’ve got his number.’

James was about to respond when the sound of an engine seized his attention.