‘And now have a look at this. This is the spares requisition for the battalion in Bigby. For the record, I’m passing Sergeant Jones exhibit AM/4. Notice anything now?’

‘I’m not sure what you’re getting at,’ said Jones.

‘Do you agree that you appear to be ordering six times as many spare parts as your colleague at Bigby forty miles down the road, even though yours is a significantly smaller base? Particularly, spare parts for the SA80s.’

Jones said nothing.

‘Why is that, do you think?’ said Campbell.

‘I don’t know,’ said Jones. ‘Rifles break. I order stuff when we need it.’

‘Do you ever take your work home with you, Sergeant?’

‘Of course not.’ Jones was indignant.

Campbell studied him before continuing. ‘Do you know a Douglas Glenister, Sergeant?’

At the name, did Jones flinch? thought Gabriel.

‘Never heard of him.’

Campbell handed over another sheet. ‘Have a look at this, exhibit JT/1, Sergeant,’ he said, pointing to the top of the sheet of data. ‘Is this your mobile phone number?’

‘Yeah, you took it off me.’

Campbell continued. ‘It’s the GPS records from your mobile phone provider, Sergeant Jones. We’ve run an analysis of your movements over the last twelve months and it’s come up with some strange patterns of behaviour. For instance, you visited the large out-of-town Sainsbury’s in Allington six times in the last year after work. Allington is forty miles from your barracks, and sixty miles from your home. Why were you there?’

‘I don’t know. I need to shop, don’t I?’

‘Indeed you do, Sergeant. But it’s an odd choice of supermarket. It’s a long way out of your way – you’d driven past half a dozen Tescos and Aldis and at least two other Sainsbury’s to go there. Or perhaps you’re keen on that particular Sainsbury’s. I hear their fresh deli counter’s excellent.’

Jones was silent.

‘And you were never there for more than ten minutes – doesn’t sound like a very thorough shop to me.’

Jones remained silent.

‘You visited the Allington Sainsbury’s most recently last Sunday at around 12.30pm. Who did you meet then?’

‘No one.’

‘Ever been interested in politics at all?’

‘Not my cup of tea,’ said Jones.

‘Now I’ve got a bit of a dilemma, Sergeant,’ said Campbell. ‘It’s possible you’ve been ordering significant spare rifle parts just because your lads are particularly clumsy. Seems a bit unlikely considering they’re using them on firing grounds in leafy Hampshire, rather than using them in a hellhole in the Middle East, but it’s possible. It’s also possible that you have been ordering too many spares because you are incompetent, of course. But your records suggest otherwise.’

Campbell paused. He wasn’t doing this too badly, conceded Gabriel.

‘It’s also possible that you made six visits to Sainsbury’s more than an hour away from your home for legitimate reasons. Although right now I can’t think of any. Or perhaps you made the visits to meet someone? To make a delivery?’

Silence.

‘Sergeant Jones. I have listened to your explanations and I am now arresting you under Section Forty-One of the Terrorism Act of 2002 for being concerned in the commission, preparation or instigation of acts of terrorism. You are still under caution. Is there anything further you want to say?’