“He is,” said Simon. “I don’t know why Nicki and King Edward split up, but he knew, didn’t he? King Edward knew—not only Nicki’s innermost thoughts and feelings, after their years-long correspondence, but also what she was likely to want after breaking up with him. That’s the character he created in Gavin.”

“The Internet’s brought us a plague of invisible men.” Proust smacked his hand against his computer screen. “I dread to think how many fake online identities you’ve spawned, DC Sellers, and how you’ve deployed them.”

“Dongcaster’s the one he’s most famous for, sir,” Gibbs said.

“For fuck’s sake, can we pay attention here?” said Simon. “If Charlie and I split up, acrimoniously, and I knew she was likely to go straight to a particular website to hunt for a new man, I’d know exactly what kind of ad to write to reel her in—one that sounds as if it’s been written by a man who’s everything I’m not.”

“If she finds such an advert, ask her to forward it to me,” said Proust. “I’m sure we’d all enjoy working with him.”

“King Edward reeled Nicki in again, as Gavin—again pretending to be someone he wasn’t,” said Simon. “OK, at this point, she still believes Damon Blundy’s the man she’s broken up with. That’s why she contacts a real estate agent and inquires about selling her house, too cheaply if necessary, as soon as possible. She only moved to Spilling because Blundy lived there and she believed he was her secret lover—she wanted to be closer to him. Once they’ve split, she wants to get out of Spilling and away from him as quickly as she can. Except then she has a change of heart, doesn’t she? She calls the Realtor back and says, ‘Forget all that—I don’t want to sell my house after all.’ Why?”

“She decides she doesn’t want to let Damon Blundy drive her away, because it’s weak?” suggested Sam. “Spilling’s her home as much as it’s his—why should she leave?”

“Or she found out, soon after deciding to sell, that King Edward wasn’t Damon Blundy,” said Gibbs. “If he’s not Blundy, then the guy who broke her heart, assuming that’s what happened, doesn’t live near her. She has no idea who he is or where he lives, so no need to move.”