“Because it’s not on the books. I don’t pay him much, not as much as I’d have to if it was official, like. And there’s no tax, no worries, just cash in hand. He’s always been a good lad. I can’t believe he’d do anything like you’ve been talking about.”

“Was this lad driving your van on the night in question?”

“Aye. He’d done a delivery that day in Sheffield, and he had a pickup the following day from a scrap dealer in Sunderland, some parts from an old Humber, so I told him to just park the van where he lived, save him coming all this way in the morning. He’s done it before. What are you going to do to me? Are you going to report me?”

“Not if you tell me what I want to know. Who is it? What’s his name?”

There was another pause as Nuttall sucked long on the cigarette and drew the smoke deep into his lungs. As he exhaled it, he looked down, as if ashamed by what he was doing, and whispered, “Albert. Albert Moffat is his name. He lives in Wytherton.”

“WHAT THE hell are you doing here?” Annie barked at Gerry as Gerry walked through the squad room door, her shoulder braced, arm in a sling. They were the only two in there.

“I don’t want to miss anything, guv,” Gerry said. “We’ve put a lot of hours into this. It’s near the end, I can feel it. I don’t want to be lying in some hospital bed twiddling my thumbs.”

“Did the doctor release you?”

“I’m fine. There’s nothing wrong with me. My collarbone’s just cracked, not broken. I didn’t have any concussion or any hidden injuries, so they let me go.”

“You should have gone home. If you’re still on painkillers, you’re no use to us.”

“I haven’t taken any more yet.” Gerry grimaced as she lowered herself into her chair, using her good hand on the desk for balance.

“OK,” said Annie, sitting on her desk. “That was a bloody stupid thing you did last night. You could have got yourself killed.”

“Sorry, guv. I didn’t see any other way. Is there any news on Jade?”

“Not yet. She isn’t in Leicester yet, and the foster brother says he hasn’t seen or heard from her in months. We’ve got a bulletin out. Her real name’s Carol Fisher, by the way. But that’s not the point. What do you mean you didn’t see any other way? You broke just about every rule in the book. What am I supposed to do with you?”