So why had they been in Cumbria? Training? Shooting practice? It made sense. But wouldn’t they attract attention firing off guns in the middle of the Lake District? Unless… She googled the shooting season for pheasant and grouse. Yes – they were still in season. Just. Gunfire in a remote Cumbria wood this time of year wouldn’t draw any undue attention.

They were just three days behind them now. Gabriel had the sense they were catching up on them, getting closer each hour. But would they catch up in time?

DAY 17

Friday

CTOC, St Pancras, London

The woman from Amazon was adamant. ‘Sorry, Sergeant, we’ve triple-checked and there’s been no delivery to that address in the last six months,’ she said firmly.

‘What about a subsidiary company – someone using Amazon Marketplace say?’ said Campbell.

‘That’s not possible. It would be logged on the database. I’m sorry, but there’s been nothing to that address.’

Campbell rang off. He’d seen Skeffington in the canteen, so went down a floor to look for him. The DI was slumped in the corner tucking into a plate of eggs, bacon and toast.

‘All right, cockney?’ said Skeffington. ‘Come to nick some food?’

‘No thanks, sir, I’m trying to avoid a heart attack before I’m at least forty,’ said Campbell. ‘Just heard from Amazon. They’ve delivered sod all to the Cumbria cottage.’

‘Perhaps the old biddy got it wrong then,’ said Skeffington, shovelling in a forkful of runny egg as some dripped down his chin. ‘Or they were just old boxes they brought with them.’

‘Maybe,’ said Campbell. ‘But why bring old Amazon boxes to the Lake District?’

‘I don’t know. I’m not a homicidal Islamist terrorist. Fuck knows what goes on in their heads. Now, if you’ve nothing useful to tell me, bugger off and let me have breakfast in peace.’

Campbell returned to his desk. If Abu Mujahid had ordered something online, where would he get it delivered? He knew from the search over the last few days that Abu Mujahid had no Cumbrian associates. So what about an Amazon locker, or a collection point? He went to the Amazon website and searched for pickup locations near Kendal, where Abu Mujahid’s van had been spotted by ANPR on the previous Saturday morning.

Twelve addresses came up. Five were Amazon lockers in public places or shops where customers could collect packages using a code. The rest were post offices, newsagents or supermarkets where packages were handed over the counter. The boxes described by the Cumbrian landlady were large – so a pickup was more likely than a locker.

By 9.30am, Campbell had sent a list of possible pickup points in Kendal and a set of photos of the known cell members to Cumbria CID. He’d also been on the phone to Amazon again for a list of deliveries to Kendal pickup points on the Friday and Saturday of the previous week.

#

‘I remember him,’ said the white-haired man behind the counter of the souvenir shop in the centre of Kendal. He studied the picture again. ‘Ginger fellow. Birdwatcher or something.’