‘How’s it going?’ Jackman wandered in and kissed her lightly on the nape of her neck. ‘Can I do anything?’

‘I think I’ve got it all in hand,’ she said, looking around. ‘I hope everyone’s hungry, I’ve definitely over-cooked!’

‘Well, you have invited four coppers, so I don’t think you’ll have much trouble getting rid of it all.’

‘Ralph’s a pescatarian. I hope he likes what I’ve made for him. We haven’t had dinner guests for so long I’m getting all flustered. I used to be able to do this sort of thing with one hand tied behind my back.’

‘Well, you look pretty organised to me, which is lucky because I hear a car drawing up. Here goes, sweetheart. Let’s have a lovely evening.’

The meal was a great success, and it seemed no time at all before they were ensconced in the lounge in front of the fire, each holding a glass of brandy.

‘I hate to talk about work,’ said Jackman, ‘but we’ve been so busy with the Jordan Spiller case I’ve missed out on what’s been going on with the creepy Mr Shields.’

‘And in my case,’ added Vic, ‘Shields has occupied my every moment, and it looks like he will for some time to come. Isn’t that right, Hugh?’

Hugh Mackenzie nodded vigorously. ‘Oh, very true! The media will have a field day when that case goes to court.’

‘Why will it get such a high profile?’ said Ralph. ‘Surely he confessed in the end?’

‘Oh yes, he did that all right,’ said Vic with a grin. ‘I almost needed a bucket just listening to his “confession.” Yes, he believes that he must have killed his mother, after a lifetime of mental abuse, but he still blames his somnambulism for it. Hugh’s right, it’s going to make a blinding court case.’

‘Was he really mentally abused by his mother?’ asked Ralph.

‘Who knows?’ said Vic. ‘So far, we only have his word for it, and he’s told so many lies it’s hard to separate truth from fiction.’

‘Like about his lovely partner, Julia,’ added Laura. ‘And the marriage and divorce that never happened.’

‘He’s a killer, bottom line. The whole thing was planned, I’d swear to it. It’s just going to be a bastard to prove,’ Vic said.

‘We’ll do it, my boy, never fear.’ Hugh beamed at him. ‘Shields has clearly been studying the case of Liam Reece, who got an acquittal on the basis of being a somnambulist. I’m certain that somewhere in that house of his, or hidden deep in his computer files, you’ll find a mention of it.’

‘Even down to the comment about injuring himself and feeling no pain — all lifted straight from the Reece case,’ added Sam.