‘Sort of. But she still thought it was a possibility worth exploring. I told her to leave the detective work to us or she could find herself in trouble. Becky was right about Meade, though, and now he’s probably silenced her as well.’

‘Meade had nothing to do with Becky’s disappearance,’ Jane said firmly. ‘We have a credible witness who spent yesterday afternoon and evening with him. I need to speak with Stanley about this,’ she said, holding up Becky’s notebook.

‘Are you going to tell him what I told Becky?’ Boon asked, looking worried.

Jane felt Boon was already suffering enough emotional stress over Becky. ‘Not if I can help it,’ she said.

‘Thanks, sarge. Sorry I messed up.’

‘Don’t worry. We all make mistakes. The important thing is that we learn from them,’ she said.

*

Having read the transcript, Stanley handed it back to Jane.

‘How did Becky know about the tunnel and Thomas Durham being the developer?’ he asked.

‘It looks like she did some investigating of her own at the council planning department,’ Jane said. ‘She probably looked at the same documents and maps as we did.’

‘Her notes don’t really help us much,’ Stanley remarked.

‘I’m not so sure. I’m wondering if there’s something in her idea that Thomas Durham committed bribery to get the chapel and land deconsecrated.’

‘Well, it can’t have connected to Meade as he had nothing to do with it,’ Stanley said.

‘I know, but Archbishop Malone did.’

Stanley looked bemused. ‘You seriously think he’s involved in Becky’s disappearance?’

‘Thomas Durham and Lee Holland lied to me from day one. I didn’t know why, but having read Becky’s notes, I think she may have inadvertently given us the answer.’

Stanley leaned forward. ‘Why is this the first time you’ve mentioned speaking to Thomas Durham?’

‘I thought I had . . .’ she started to reply.

‘You only ever mentioned you’d spoken to Nick Durham. As I recall, you said he was very helpful, just upset at the site being closed.’

Jane realised she had unintentionally put herself in a difficult situation and wondered how best to tell Stanley about Thomas Durham and Lee Holland.

Stanley folded his arms. ‘I’m waiting for an answer, Jane.’

She recalled her words of advice to Boon.

‘I was about to raise it at the meeting with Barnes when PC Rogers walked in. I should have said something earlier, but I had no evidence to support my suspicions.’

‘I want to hear everything, chapter and verse. And don’t try and wheedle your way out!’ Stanley said angrily.

Jane told him about the first time she and Boon met Thomas Durham and Lee Holland, their strange behaviour, their lies about knowing each other and the argument she believed they had the morning she and Boon went to the site to arrest Barry May.