Now Dalgliesh said, “This year we’ve had the separation of functions in the Home Office, but I think I’ve got the changes more or less clear in my mind. Since May the new Ministry of Justice became responsible for the National Offender Management Service, and the probation officers who undertake the supervision are now called ‘offender managers.’ Sharon will certainly have one. I’ll have to check that I’ve got the facts right, but my understanding is that an offender has to spend at least four trouble-free years in the community before the supervision is lifted, and even then the licence remains in force for life, so that a lifer is eligible to be recalled at any point.”

Kate said, “But surely Sharon has a legal obligation to inform her PO that she’s become involved, even if innocent, in a case of murder?”

“Certainly she should have done, but if she hasn’t, the National Offender Management Service will learn about it tomorrow, when the news breaks. Sharon should also have told them about her change of job. Whether or not she has been in touch with her supervisor, it’s certainly my responsibility to inform the probation service and theirs to provide a report for the Ministry of Justice. It’s the probation service, not the police, who must handle the information and make decisions on a need-to-know basis.”

Kate said, “So we say and do nothing until Sharon’s supervisor takes over? But don’t we need to interview her again? This alters her status in the investigation.”

“Obviously it’s important for the supervising officer to be present when we do question Sharon, and I’d like that to be tomorrow, if possible. Sunday isn’t the best day to get this set up, but I can probably get in touch with the supervising officer through the duty officer at the Ministry of Justice. I’ll phone Benton. I need to have Sharon watched but it has to be done with complete discretion. While I get this set up, could you continue looking through the files here? I’ll phone from the dining room downstairs. It may take some time.”

Left alone, Kate settled again to the files. She knew that Dalgliesh had left her so that she could be undisturbed and it would indeed have been difficult to sort conscientiously through the remaining boxes without listening to what he was saying.