‘Then why the wild goose chase? If they wanted to be caught so badly, they could’ve hung around at the church with their hands in the air. Think about this logically. It makes no sense to wait until now, unless it’s all based on something that happened recently. Roger Clifton was a local man. People knew him. His killer could have got to him at any point. So why now?’

‘Roger might’ve been local, but maybe his killer wasn’t. Maybe the motive is historical, but the means and opportunity only became apparent recently.’

Caroline shook her head. ‘Doesn’t make any sense. You don’t just file a note away at the back of your mind to do a quick murder next time you’re passing through Rutland.’

‘You do if you couldn’t get here before then, though.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘What if our killer’s been in prison? Or out of the country?’

Caroline’s jaw tensed as she considered this. ‘That’s a point. Call Sara and ask her if she’s had any luck with the Spanish authorities in relation to Arthur Clifton. We’ll need to build profiles on Roger’s other connections, too. See if there’s anyone who’s been inside. I doubt you’ll find anyone who’s been banged up for fifty years, though. Wasn’t the country’s longest-serving prisoner let out a year or two ago? Even he’d only done forty-odd years. I can’t help thinking this road doesn’t go anywhere, Dex, no matter how many different ways you try.’

‘Alright, so something more recent. A shady business deal? Dodgy council business? Is that enough reason to kill someone?’

‘Oh, Dex. You would’ve melted if you’d joined the Met. I once led a case into a woman who stabbed her husband to death because he used the veg chopping board to cut up meat.’

Dexter chuckled. ‘To be fair, that’s pretty dangerous.’

‘So’s ramming a steak knife into your husband’s neck. Listen, what if we’ve got the symbolism all wrong? What if that’s all just some nutter having a bit of fun? Maybe it was a business thing, or a council decision. Perhaps our killer is seriously unhinged and saw murder as justifiable. If they’re that deranged, the whole symbolism of the church could’ve been their attempt to piss around. Send out a message, perhaps.’

‘True. But it could also be someone very clever and calculating. Roger spent his life in construction and local politics. I think it’s fair to say he will have ticked a few people off in his time. And there’s a fine line between genius and insanity.’

‘Who said that?’ Caroline asked. ‘Sounds like something Oscar Wilde would come out with.’