‘Barry May, I’m DC Boon. I’m arresting you on suspicion of theft. You do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be given in evidence.’

‘I want to make a complaint about these two assaulting me!’ Barry growled.

‘You were resisting arrest and they restrained you,’ Jane said calmly.

‘Did you open the coffin and take a cross from the nun’s body?’ Boon asked.

‘What! No way. Dermot said he wanted to open the coffin, so you best fuck off and ask him.’

‘You really are a piece of shit,’ Boon said, shaking his head. He put Barry in the back of the Hillman and then got in next to him.

‘Where you taking me?’ Barry asked.

‘To search your premises.’

Barry grunted. ‘Where’s your fucking warrant, then?’

‘We don’t need one as we’ve arrested you on reasonable suspicion of theft,’ Boon told him.

Jane found a toolbox in the back of the minivan and removed a small crowbar. She knew Lloyd could do some tests to see if it matched the indentations on the coffin. She then followed the Hillman to Crundale Tower in her car.

‘Is your wife or any other family at home?’ Boon asked Barry.

‘My wife will have gone to work by now.’

‘Any kids?’

‘Yeah, two girls. Katie drops them off at her mother’s and she takes them to school.’

‘My colleagues and I are going to search your premises from top to bottom.’

‘How many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t open that coffin or steal any bleeding cross, so you won’t find nothing.’

Boon shrugged. ‘Have it your way.’

Arriving at Crundale Tower, Boon got out and went over to speak to Jane.

‘I think he might have got rid of the cross . . . maybe pawned it or sold it to someone. If we don’t find it, we’ll have to release him.’

‘We might find a pawn ticket – or even the missing knife,’ Jane said hopefully.

‘I haven’t mentioned the knife to Barry. I thought if we find a crucifix, he might roll over and tell us what else he took from the coffin. The search could take an hour or two; me and the crime squad lads can do it if you want to head off to your meeting.’

She looked at her watch, it was a quarter past eight. ‘I’ve still got a plenty of time. I’ll stay for an hour then drive to Orpington.’

Boon used Barry’s key to gain entry to the flat. Jane told the crime squad officers to search the bedrooms and made Barry sit in an armchair in the living room.

Jane looked around the room. ‘We’ll start in here, then do the kitchen. Make sure you look inside the cushions, as well as down the sides of the—’

‘I know how to do a proper search, sarge,’ Boon interrupted.

The high-pitched sound of a woman’s screams suddenly filled the flat.