‘Right then. Robbie, can I leave it to you to chase up Forensics? Ask them if they would do the PM on Ma Jones as soon as possible. Beg if necessary. I have to know for certain that she died from natural causes. I need it officially confirmed. Her son was murdered, and she died on the same night. I must rule out any connection, wildly improbable as it would seem.’

‘Leave it with me, boss,’ said Robbie. ‘I’ll even take them a cake if it helps.’

‘A bribe always helps, Robbie.’ Jackman smiled. ‘And a proper coffee might clinch the deal.’ He turned to their three uniformed colleagues. ‘Perhaps you’d pay a call on our four victims of the night stalker, and ask each one of them if a child called Teddy has any significance for them?’

Stacey, Jay and Simon nodded in unison.

‘No problem, sir,’ said Stacey. ‘We’ll do that this afternoon. Oh, and sir, we’ve located the car that Ratty used to travel to Peartree Cottage. He parked it about quarter of a mile away. Is it okay for the owner to collect it?’

‘Yes, it won’t be needed for forensics. Ratty just borrowed it to fool you guys.’

‘And it worked,’ Stacey muttered. ‘I really thought we’d frightened him into staying at home. I wish I’d come down on him harder now.’

‘Not your fault,’ said Jackman. ‘It’s like an alcoholic needing a drink. He couldn’t help himself.’

‘Even so, I still feel bad. Not that I dreamed he was in danger. I just didn’t want him getting in the way of our investigation or finding himself locked in a cell for something he hadn’t done.’

‘Apart from nailing his feet to the caravan floor, Stacey,’ Jackman said, ‘you couldn’t have stopped him. He was an adult, albeit one with issues, so let it go. Our priority now is to find Teddy.’

* * *

Annie Carson slept better that night. She put it down to the fact that she was doing something concrete instead of wallowing in fear and self-pity. It was approaching lunchtime and she’d already located the address and phone number of the fourth victim of their night stalker. Natalie Miles lived in Old Fleet, and it just so happened that she was known to one of the other ladies, Sylvia Wilson. Sylvia had rung her earlier that morning. She said that the police had mentioned Natalie, but she hadn’t thought about it at the time. Later, she realised that Natalie was a friend of her sister-in-law, Patsy, who also lived in Old Fleet. She had rung Patsy, who confirmed it. So, after lunch, she and Callum were going visiting again.

Just as she was preparing some lunch, her son came into the kitchen.