When they were alone again, they both reached for their phones. James rang the office while Abbott started scrolling through her messages.

It was DC Dawn Isaac who picked up and James told her where they were and what they’d been up to. He asked if he could speak to DCI Tanner but she said he was on his way to Penrith where the press conference was scheduled to take place at three o’clock.

‘We should be back before then,’ James said. ‘Spread the word that we’ll have another briefing.’

Isaac then gave him some updates and crucially she was able to tell him when Carlo Salvi would be arriving in Kendal from London.

When he came off the phone he said to Abbott, ‘We should have the boyfriend in the interview room around four. And if we find that he is our man then we might both get to have an early night.’

‘Yeah, and pigs might fly, guv,’ Abbott said.

CHAPTER FIFTY

When Greg Murphy strode into the lounge, he was casually dressed in a pale blue shirt and navy cords that made him appear much younger than his forty-two years. James couldn’t help but notice that he looked tired, his shoulders hunched, eyes heavy.

He sat on the sofa facing James and Abbott and flashed a half-hearted smile at them.

‘I’m sorry to have kept you waiting,’ he said. ‘The board had a lot to discuss, as I’m sure you can appreciate.’

James gestured at the empty plates on the low table in front of them.

‘Your manager was kind enough to lay on some lunch so it wasn’t a problem. And you weren’t to know that we were here anyway.’

‘Well, I’m glad you are because it saves me calling you. All the information coming to me about the investigation has been second-hand. I want to know what progress you’re making and you said you would keep me updated.’

‘We visited your home in Burnside this morning to do just that, Mr Murphy. Has your wife not told you?’

‘I haven’t had time to speak to her. I was planning to call straight after the meeting. Is she okay?’

James was surprised that Libby hadn’t rung to tell her husband about the brawl between Mark Slade and Gordon Carver.

‘She was upset when we left your house, so I would suggest you check on her as soon as possible,’ he said. ‘And you should know that when we arrived there was an altercation taking place between your friend Mark Slade and a local newspaper reporter.’

Murphy’s jaw went rigid. ‘Are you fucking serious?’

James relayed what he’d been told about what led to the brawl and what he’d witnessed himself. As Murphy listened, his eyes filled with a cold fury.

‘I’ve come across that reporter before,’ he said. ‘He shouldn’t have gone there to hassle my wife. I’m just glad that Mark was with her. If I’d been there, I would have done exactly what he did.’