‘Those numbers must relate to a significant date. It could be when she became a nun. This is an important find, Boony. It could help to identify the body and narrow the time frame of the murder.’ She was looking forward to showing it to Father Chris and asking his opinion on the significance of the engraving.

Chapter Nine

CHAPTER NINE

Jane arrived at Orpington police station at a quarter past nine, with time to spare before her meeting with DCS Barnes, so she decided to have a poached egg on toast with a cup of tea in the canteen. After ordering her food, she sat at an empty table and opened her briefcase to have a quick read through her report. Her heart immediately sank. ‘No, no, no,’ she said to herself on finding the file was not in the case. She instantly knew that in her rush to get to the old convent, she’d left the report on the dining-room table.

‘Excuse me,’ she said to the uniformed officer on the table next to her. ‘How long does it take to get to Chislehurst High Street from here?’ Her house was a two-minute drive from there.

‘About fifteen, twenty minutes tops.’

‘What’s the quickest way?’

The officer gave her the most direct route which, to her relief, was pretty straightforward.

‘Thanks,’ she replied, hurrying to the canteen door.

‘You forgot your briefcase, love,’ the uniformed officer shouted.

‘Shit,’ she muttered, then turned, grabbed the case and ran as fast as she could to her car.

Thankfully, the traffic wasn’t heavy, and she made it home in seventeen minutes. She dashed inside and grabbed her report.

‘Good morning, Jane, you off to work?’ Gerry was walking his dog.

‘Yes,’ she replied, opening the car door, and throwing the report on the passenger seat.

‘Everything OK with the light socket?’

‘It’s working fine now, thanks.’

‘Any problems, you know where I am.’

‘Sorry, Gerry, but I have to go as I’m running late for an important meeting.’

‘You got far to go?’

‘Orpington,’ she replied, wishing he’d stop asking questions.

‘You know what they say . . . more haste, less speed.’

Jane looked at her watch, it was a quarter to ten. Angry with herself, and knowing she’d be late for the meeting, she banged her hand on the steering wheel. She didn’t drive fast and the return journey took her twenty minutes. She parked her car, ran to the station and up the stairs to DCS Barnes’s office.

Jane knocked on Barnes’s door whilst dabbing the sweat from her forehead with a tissue. She knew her hair must be a mess from all the running around, but there was no time to do anything about it.