‘She’s one of the good ones. You guys got lucky getting her. I was happy to hear a placement opened up here so that I could apply,’ Matt said.

‘It’s not weird, working under your former partner?’ Imogen asked.

Adrian knew she was talking about them – one of them was bound to get promoted one day and he didn’t know how that would work, if it even could work.

‘It’s pretty great knowing someone you can trust has your back, actually.’

‘Sounds like you’ve been burned before,’ she continued.

‘Haven’t we all?’

‘Were you two ever … together?’ Adrian asked.

Imogen shot him a look.

DI Matt Walsh let out a raucous laugh, completely inappropriate given the situation. It reverberated so much in the room that everyone turned to look at him. There was a momentary pause before normal crime scene hubbub returned.

‘Nice to know she hasn’t changed,’ Matt said.

‘What do you mean?’ asked Adrian.

‘She doesn’t exactly talk about herself much, does she?’

‘True,’ Imogen acknowledged.

‘Well, she’s not exactly into guys.’

‘Oh.’ Adrian was surprised.

‘I didn’t find out ’til three years in, so you’ve got the jump on me,’ Matt said.

‘What do you think of this crime, then?’ Imogen asked, clearly uncomfortable with talking about the DCI’s personal business.

‘Messy and inexperienced.’

‘A student?’ Adrian said.

‘Maybe. Have a chat with some of the faculty in this block, see if they know anything. I’ll go and speak to the dean.’

He walked away. Adrian liked him already, which was a relief.

Adrian and Imogen made their way upstairs and knocked on the door to the psychology professor Gillian Mitchell’s office, but there was no response. The hallways started to fill with students getting to their morning lectures. There was a lot of mumbling; news of the murder had obviously got around. They knocked again.

‘Can I help you?’ A voice came from behind them.

They turned to see a blonde-haired woman, standing tall and lean in a brown linen suit. Her hair was almost iridescent in colour.

‘Are you Gillian Mitchell?’ Adrian asked.

‘Are you here about Hugh?’ the woman said.

‘Can we talk in your office?’ Imogen asked her.

‘Actually, I’d rather not. I’m waiting for someone to come up and sort out the giant spider I have locked in there. I may never go back in there again. What is it you want to know?’ She smiled.

‘Did you know Professor Norris well?’ Imogen said.

‘In passing. We weren’t friends or anything. He was a bit too chatty for my liking. Sometimes less is more. You find that with philosophers, though; they always want a bloody conversation.’

‘Not psychologists?’ Adrian mused.

‘I’m more of an observer.’

‘Did he have any enemies?’ Adrian said.

‘Absolutely not, he was a nice man.’

‘Any problem students?’ Imogen asked.

‘Here? Not really. Now and then we get one, but no one springs to mind.’

‘Did you teach any of the same students?’ Adrian followed up.