‘Yeah, and too right,’ muttered Dud. ‘That kid with the blond hair, the one Charlie had decided to target . . .’

‘Rory Millar?’ Stocky said.

Dud nodded. ‘We all know it was Charlie who locked him in the cellar overnight a couple of weeks ago. Poor kid. He was terrified. Mr Frederiks heard him shouting and let him out the next morning.’

‘Did anyone ’fess up that they knew it was Charlie?’ asked Miles.

‘No. To be honest, even if we had, Mr Frederiks wouldn’t have done anything. He thought Charlie, like, walked on water, which is odd, as he normally comes down like a ton of bricks on bullying. But Charlie could do no wrong. Got away with murder . . . Shit!’ Dud blushed. ‘Sorry.’

‘I want to know who walked back to school with him that evening,’ said Miles.

‘Same as those that left with him,’ answered James.

‘Was he on good form?’

‘Excellent.’

‘What time did you get back?’

‘’Bout eleven. We signed in and Stocky ’n’ me went to watch telly in the common room. Charlie said he was for an early night – he could never get up for chapel on a Saturday and was about to be gated if he missed again. We said goodnight at the bottom of the stairs, Charlie went up, and that was that.’

‘Who sleeps next door to him?’

‘Me,’ replied Stocky, ‘and Dud is on the other side. You didn’t hear anything, did you?’

‘Nothing.’ Dud shook his head.

‘Nor me,’ shrugged Stocky. ‘But neither of us came up until after midnight. Mr Daneman can confirm it, and Mr Frederiks. He came back just as we were going upstairs to bed.’

‘You sure of the time?’

‘Yeah, but you can check with Mr Daneman. He came in to chivvy us along, said he was for his bed too as Mr Frederiks was back.’

‘Did you actually see Mr Frederiks before you went up?’ Miles asked.

Dud looked at Stocky and shrugged. ‘No, but why would Mr Daneman say he was back if he wasn’t?’

‘Okay,’ nodded Miles. ‘Anyone got anything else to add?’

There was silence.

‘All right. Thanks for your time. If any of you think of anything about that night that strikes you as odd, even if it’s a small detail, please come and see me, or Inspector Hunter, as soon as you can. Dud, can I have a quick word?’

The rest of the group left the room. Miles closed the door behind them and turned back to Dud.

‘So, you and Charlie were best mates?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Until he stole Emily.’

Dud nodded silently.

‘Then you knocked seven bells out of him when you found out.’

Dud looked up at him. ‘Wouldn’t you?’

‘Probably. You knew he was allergic to aspirin?’

‘Course. The whole year knew, and everyone in Fleat. It wasn’t a secret.’

‘Knowing Charlie so well, you’re sure he wasn’t depressed? I believe he’d had a fallout with his father just before he came back to school.’