Jenny sighed. The question was: how could she find out what she needed to know without making trouble?

Perhaps the best thing was to go straight to the horse’s mouth. Yes, that’s what she should do. Jenny checked her watch, and, taking the receiver off the hook, picked up her handbag and left.

‘I’d advise you not to go out of main reception at present. The vultures are waiting for tit-bits,’ Jazz said, sitting down in the chair opposite the headmaster.

‘Will they go away once you tell them at the press conference you have the murderer in custody?’ the headmaster asked.

‘After a while, yes,’ Jazz responded noncommittally. ‘Mr Jones, I need to ask you about this boy, Jamie, who died in the cellar of Fleat House. What do you know about it?’

He sighed. ‘Inspector, it was way before my time. All I know is what everyone knows; the boy was thirteen, if I remember rightly. He hanged himself from a meat hook in the cellar.’ Robert Jones shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

‘Does anyone know why he took his own life?’

‘You should be asking Jenny all these questions, she was here at the time, Inspector. Really, is this relevant?’

‘Yes,’ Jazz replied firmly, and waited for him to reply.

‘Let me reiterate this was some ten years or so before my tenure . . .’

‘So, some twenty-five years ago?’

‘Yes, about that,’ he agreed. ‘And there was a lot of bullying going on at the time. Apparently this Jamie was subjected to some particularly cruel victimisation. I’d like to stress the police investigated his death and concluded there was no foul play.’

‘And do you know who the boys were that carried out the bullying?’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘So who would know?’

‘Jenny? And Sebastian Frederiks, possibly. He’s an ex-pupil.’

‘Along with Julian Forbes?’

Robert Jones looked confused. ‘Yes, but he can hardly help us now, can he? And why would any of this be relevant anyway? You’re holding David Millar in custody. Your boss told me so this morning.’

Despite herself, Jazz bristled at the use of the word ‘boss’. ‘We are, but there are still some details I want explaining. For example, Rory Millar ended up in Fleat House cellar for the night, didn’t he? Was that just coincidence, do you think?’

‘Probably not. It’s said that the boy haunts the cellar where he died. Whoever locked Rory in there knew what he was doing.’

‘Charlie Cavendish, you mean?’

‘Yes.’ Robert Jones sighed. ‘He paid his price for his misdemeanours, didn’t he?’

Jazz ignored him. ‘Any idea where Sebastian Frederiks might be?’

Jones checked his watch. ‘Probably in the refectory, or in the changing rooms with the boys getting ready for rugby practice. Life must go on, though God knows what the boys are making of the television cameras outside. I only hope you can give them enough at the press conference to make them go away. Six o’clock, isn’t it?’

Jazz was standing. ‘Yes, I’ll see you then. I’m on my mobile if you need me.’ She nodded and left the room, her watch telling her it was only a matter of hours before she’d be naming David Millar as her chief suspect.