I turn to Sarah. ‘The DI wants us to check it out.’ I glance at Adam. ‘Could you give us the code for the gate? If you’ve finished what you’re doing, you don’t have to hang around. But if you could leave the keys with us, it might be useful. We’ll make sure everything’s locked and if you give me the address of your office, I’ll drop them back to you later on. Meanwhile, if you hear from Mr Mason, I’d be grateful if you didn’t tell him we’ve been here.’

It’s clear from Adam’s face that he’s out of his depth. When he hands me a business card, I add, ‘You might want to be careful. Mason’s slippery. If he leaves you any contact details, call me.’ I hand him a card.

After leaving us the code, he starts to walk back towards the house. I look at Sarah. ‘The DI’s sending someone over. It might be a good idea for you to wait on the drive.’

As she walks away, I cross the gravel onto the grass and gaze at the open space that stretches into the distance, wondering if Mason owns the woods beyond too. My blood chills at the thought that people can justify exploiting the vulnerable for their own gains, but it’s something that happens all too often. There are too many powerful people driven by pure greed and self-interest. James Hampton is one, and it helped that he was weak so that Mason could take advantage of him when he was desperate. And then there’s Andrew Buckley. From what I’ve seen, I have no shadow of a doubt that Buckley is cold and calculating, capable of almost anything. But in spite of what James Hampton told us, there’s still no proof that he’s involved.

It isn’t long before my thoughts are interrupted by the sound of voices coming closer. Turning around, I see Sarah with a couple of uniformed police officers making their way across the grass. They didn’t waste any time. Then to my surprise, I see the DI behind them. By the time he reaches us, he’s out of breath.

‘Too much time behind a bloody desk,’ he wheezes. ‘Right, May. Let’s not hang around. Where’s this door?’

‘This way, sir.’ I lead them around the back of the L of buildings. ‘This is it.’

Standing back, I watch him try the door, then shove his not inconsiderable bulk against it, but just as earlier when I tried, it doesn’t budge. Nodding at the uniformed PCs, he stands to one side.