James identified himself and told him that Douglas was on his way by ambulance to the Accident and Emergency Department at the Lancashire Royal Infirmary. He said it appeared he had fallen down the stairs at home, but made no mention of the cocaine and drink.

Mr Hannigan asked why the police were at their son’s house and when James replied that he couldn’t speak about it over the phone, the man said, ‘Douglas told me you questioned him about Rachel Elliott’s murder, Detective Inspector. Is that why you were there again, even though you know he was at a party when it happened?’

‘It’s more complicated than that, Mr Hannigan,’ James said.

‘I know about the birthday card he sent to her but he’s admitted to you that it was just a stupid mistake so you shouldn’t be harassing him.’

‘Look, Mr Hannigan, I called to let you know that your son has been hurt. I can’t go into—’

James suddenly stopped talking because he realised that the guy had hung up on him.

The next call he made was to DS Stevens to warn him that Hannigan’s parents had been informed and would probably turn up at the hospital.

‘Phone me as soon as you’ve got a condition update,’ he said.

‘He’s already showing signs of improvement,’ Stevens replied. ‘He opened his eyes briefly and the paramedics are confident he’ll pull through.’

‘Can they estimate how long he’d been lying there?’

‘Not with any degree of accuracy, but they don’t think it was very long.’

‘Well, I don’t expect we’ll be able to speak to him at least until tomorrow morning so I’ll arrange for a uniform to take over from you there and sort you a lift back to Kendal.’

James then made a third call, this one to Erika Chan. She answered quickly and before James could get a word in, she told him she was still at The Fells Hotel.

‘I spoke to Mr Murphy and he surprised me by saying I could keep my job and he’s letting me stay here until I sort things out,’ she said.

‘That’s great, Miss Chan,’ James said, ‘but I’m ringing you with some bad news, I’m afraid.’

‘What is it?’

‘It’s Mr Hannigan. He’s had an accident at his home and has been taken to hospital in Lancaster by ambulance. I thought you should know even though your relationship with him may well be over.’

She asked him what had happened and he could tell from her voice that she was both shocked and concerned.

‘He might have been drinking, Inspector,’ she said. ‘I’ve seen him lose his balance and fall over before when he’s had too much. He can’t handle it.’

‘That’s something we’ll ask him when he’s able to speak to us.’

He went on to tell her that Hannigan’s parents had been told.

‘I’ll go to the hospital,’ she said.

James stayed in Hannigan’s office for another ten minutes, rifling through papers and files, but found nothing to implicate the guy in Rachel’s murder.