‘Thanks, Craig,’ she said, and went back to trying to compose a mail requesting that she be excused from a departmental health and safety seminar, held over a whopping three days, which was planned for the end of the year. She had attended something similar last year at Vaughn’s insistence, and had emerged from it none the wiser about critical health and safety issues, but a couple of kilos heavier from eating all the biscuits. When she looked up, Craig Power was hovering.

‘If you’re going to see her, I’ll come with you,’ he said.

‘No.’ She saved the draft of the email, would take another bash at it later. ‘I want you and Ajay to find out what you can about Jez Weston and his sister, and I’ll take Lolly to Colchester. Abs said Lauren attacked Jez, so let’s see if social services have any record of what happened.’

‘Unlikely – we’re talking something that happened well over two decades ago. The easiest thing would be to talk to Jez.’

‘Hold off on that for now. When we speak to him, at least let’s be armed with all the facts. I want to know why, if she hasn’t seen her brother for years, Lauren’s DNA would turn up in the home of a murdered man, a friend of her brother’s.’

‘Lolly.’ She called over the office to where her DC was in animated conversation with someone. ‘Come on, chatty chops, let’s go.’

Ajay glanced up from his desk. ‘Do try not to get blown up.’

‘Chelmsford phoned,’ said DCI Vaughn, striding over. ‘They still haven’t received that statement from the cousin of Sarah Tovey.’

Sasha blushed. ‘I’m sorry, Vaughn, it completely slipped my mind.’

‘I said I’d get it done asap,’ he told her shortly.

She and her team were working on so many things alongside the investigation into the deaths of Andrew Dean and Tony Gardner, she was juggling so many balls, that she hadn’t even opened the email from Chelmsford. ‘Where are they with that?’

‘Not very far. They’re chasing all possible investigative leads, but have had no success.’ Vaughn gave Lolly a piece of paper. ‘That’s her cousin’s address. Ring Chelmsford, get the background on the girl’s disappearance and go get a statement. Straight away, please.’

‘Will do, guv.’ Lolly flashed Sasha an apologetic look and rushed off.

Vaughn stood awkwardly with Sasha. She wanted to say something about last night’s disastrous get-together at her house but didn’t know how to broach the subject.

He saved her the trouble, when he said, ‘Last night was fun.’

‘Yes.’ She hoped he meant it ironically. ‘It was eventful.’

‘Connie’s ex – Barry – is a character.’

There were other descriptions she could think of that nailed Barry’s essence more accurately, but she said, ‘He’s certainly that.’