‘Christ. St Stephen’s is under siege! Do I tell them about Hugh’s death?’

‘Not as yet. As far as they’re concerned, Mr Daneman is still at home, suffering from flu.’ Jazz gave him a fleeting smile. ‘Remember, it’s in my interests as well to keep the school open. I don’t want my suspects disappearing before I can get to the bottom of this. Thank you, Mr Jones. I’ll keep you fully informed as things progress.’

Jazz left the head’s office and walked across the quad to the incident room.

Miles was at his desk, yawning.

‘Late night?’

‘Yes. I went to that pub where the St Stephen’s kids go and ended up chatting to the landlord until late.’

‘Just chatting?’ Jazz dropped her briefcase by her desk.

‘Admittedly I kept him company in the beer department. Only had three but they must brew it stronger here than in London. I feel wiped out today.’

‘All this fresh country air, DS Miles. Your lungs can’t cope with it. So, what did the landlord have to say?’

‘Nothing much of genuine interest. He asked the barmaid who’d been on duty that night and she remembers Charlie and his party coming in. He’d apparently had a brief fling with a friend of hers just before Christmas so she recognised him. The place was flooded with St Stephen’s sixth-formers as it’s the only pub in town they’re allowed to go to.’

Jazz took off her coat, sat at her desk and switched on her laptop. ‘Did you ask whether there were any incidents of illegal substances changing hands on the premises?’

‘Yes, not that he’d admit it if there were, obviously. He was understandably defensive when I asked him, said he’d never tolerated any kind of drugs on the premises. And I’d doubt it, personally. The pub has a good relationship with the school; they get the business, but keep an eye on the kids. I don’t think the landlord would want to jeopardise that.’

‘The point about drugs being a pack activity is a firm one. If Charlie had scored something illegal that night, I reckon he’d have taken it there and then. And been unconscious in a matter of minutes.’

‘Unless he met a pusher after the pub. But the landlord said he didn’t know of any dealers in Foltesham. But let’s face it, Ma’am, kids get stuff all over the place these days. There are always some local lads in that pub. Any one of them could have had something on them they wanted to sell. But I doubt they’d do it in there.’

‘Find out exactly who Charlie was with that night. Presumably he’d have left the school with his friends. Here.’ Jazz handed Miles the list Sebastian Frederiks had given her. ‘These are Charlie’s closest cronies, according to his housemaster. Maybe some of them were with him at the pub that night. I’d like you to interview his classmates. We’ve heard from his teachers. Let’s get a peers’ perspective on Charlie Cavendish.’