‘He seemed all right. He had a meeting with Archbishop Malone before he went to see your commissioner. He remained in the archbishop’s office on his own and said he didn’t want to be disturbed. That was the last time I saw him . . . until now.’

‘What was he wearing when he left here yesterday afternoon?’ Jane asked.

‘His clerical suit, purple shirt and white collar.’

She knew Meade would stand out dressed like that, particularly if he had met Becky in a public place.

‘Does the name Becky Rogers mean anything to you?’ Barnes asked the priest.

He nodded. ‘She called yesterday and asked to speak with Bishop Meade.’

‘What did she say?’

‘Just that she wanted to speak personally with him about a delicate matter.’

‘Did Meade speak to her?’

‘I put the call through to him. A minute or so later he came to my office. He seemed annoyed.’

‘Why?’

‘She never told me she was a newspaper reporter. I thought it was a personal call when I put her through. Bishop Meade told me who she was. He said if she ever called again, I was to put the phone down on her.’

‘Did she call again?’

‘Not to my knowledge.’

Something didn’t add up for Jane. She very much doubted Meade would agree to meet Becky in the first place, much less harm her, as she posed no direct threat to him. Although Melissa’s death had been brutal, there was no direct evidence that Meade was ever violent or abusive. Malone, on the other hand, regularly beat children.

Barnes looked at the uniformed officers. ‘I want this room treated as a crime scene. Get on your radio and ask for DS Johnson from the lab to attend. Also ask for four detectives from the incident room. I want Meade’s office and apartment searched top to bottom. I need one of you to drive me back to Orpington, and one to guard the scene until DS Johnson and my detectives arrive.’ He turned to Jane. ‘Let’s go, Tennison.’

‘Can you give me a couple of minutes please, sir? I just want to nip down to the archives and speak with Mrs Parkin.’

‘What for?’

‘She might know something about the letter of dispensation Malone purportedly signed. If she says there wasn’t one in the archives, then the letter he’s taken to the commissioner must be a fake.’

‘Good thinking . . . I’ll come with you.’

‘She might be a bit tetchy after our first meeting – even more so if there’s two of us. It might be best I go on my own.’

‘I’ll wait for you in the car then.’

As Jane entered the archives, she knew Mrs Parkin would not yet be aware of Meade’s death.

‘What do you want?’ Mrs Parkin asked with a stern expression.

‘I need your help, Mrs Parkin.’