Gary patted his arm. ‘We can’t talk about an ongoing investigation, Mr Robbins, I’m really sorry. But as my colleague says, anything you think of, just ring us.’

Robbins stood watching them walk back to their car. He looked utterly baffled. Kevin laughed. ‘I get the feeling our Don is a bit of an old gossip.’

‘Thank heavens,’ added Gary with a grin. ‘What would we do without them?’

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

When Kevin and Gary got back, Jackman and Marie were in the CID room having just added the name Reginald ‘Ratty’ Jones to a new whiteboard.

‘Ah, good,’ said Jackman. ‘As soon as Stacey and Jay get here, we’re going to have a meeting. Charlie tells me you two are on to something?’

‘Kevin is,’ said Gary generously. ‘He’s done all the graft, I just rode shotgun.’

‘Excellent. Go and grab a drink, the others are on their way back.’

Twenty minutes later the team were gathered in front of the whiteboards. Each reported any new information they had managed to garner, and Jackman gave a summary.

‘So, it would appear,’ he said, ‘that either our killer doesn’t want anyone else lurking in the shadows while he goes about his business, or Ratty saw something he shouldn’t and had to be terminated. Whatever the motive, we don’t think Ratty’s death has anything to do with the murderer’s main objective. And from what Kevin and Gary have found out, that could hinge on a child called Teddy.’

Kevin raised his hand. ‘Sir, we could well find out more after lunch, when we go back to see Nan’s old friend, Avril. We called earlier but she was out at the hairdresser. We left a message to say we’d be back after two. She was close to Nan, saw her every single week, so if anyone knows something it’ll be her.’

‘I agree. Make that a priority, and well done for finding out what you did about this Andrea Becker. She needs finding and interviewing, as does her ex-husband, Felix.’ Jackman looked at Max and Charlie. ‘Would you two follow that up, please? I want Becker brought in here and interviewed, and remember, if her old neighbour and the churchwarden are to be believed, she’s not the charitable, good-natured Christian her churchmates believed her to be. Read between the lines, and rattle her cage if you need to, okay?’

‘Our pleasure, boss.’ Max grinned. ‘Charlie and I enjoy a spot of cage rattling, don’t we, mate?’

Charlie smiled. ‘Certainly makes a refreshing change from filing reports.’