It was Friday 16 February 1990, and the blood testing had been going on for four days. The police were amazed at the response from the public. The men of Grantley seemed to be positively eager to have themselves eliminated from the inquiry. Thames News gave a report every day and even News at Ten had shown a film of the ‘phenomenal’ testing of a whole community.

There were already problems. The sheer magnitude of the task had caused a large backlog. The number of people taking the blood tests far exceeded the capacity of the people who carried out the testing of the blood. Still, even with this problem, Kate was happier than she had been for a long time. It was a chance to try and nail the man responsible and she was glad for that alone.

The fact that Leonora Davidson had been dead for two weeks now frightened her. She felt that with the closeness of the previous attacks the killer would be striking again soon.

The phone broke into her reverie and she answered it.

‘DI Burrows here.’

‘Kate? It’s me, Dan.’

She had been expecting his call, and now that it had come she felt an overpowering rage. He had been visiting Lizzy when he knew Kate was gone from the house. Since his little escapade with the CIB he had been keeping a low profile where she was concerned.

‘What can I do for you?’

Her voice was chillingly polite.

‘I want to see you.’

‘But I don’t want to see you, Dan, not now, not ever. You went too far this time.’

The phone went quiet and Kate realised that she had let the cat out of the bag. She should not have let on she knew about what he had done. He would get in touch with the CIB and they’d know she was already on to them. It would damn her immediately.

‘Dan? Are you still there?’ The line was very quiet. Please God let him be there. Don’t let him have gone. ‘I think we should meet, talk this thing over.’

‘I’ll meet you tonight at the Bull in Bulphan, Kate. Eight o’clock.’

The line went dead and she felt herself exhale.

‘You all right, Katie?’ Caitlin smiled at her.

She nodded.

‘I couldn’t help overhearing your conversation - only your end, of course. If I was you now, from tomorrow I would carry out all other communication with him from a public pay phone. Know what I mean?’

Kate nodded again, and picking up her handbag from the floor she left the office.

So they were tapping her phones now. At work and also at home. It figured. She left the station and as she walked out wondered how many of her colleagues were in on this thing. Suddenly she was worried. Very worried indeed.

George had had a long bath and was sitting on the toilet, with the seat down, cutting his toenails when Elaine burst into the room.