Heading through the main entrance, with O’Connor in tow, Gina hurried to the incident room. Jacob was sitting at the head of the table. Wyre removed her headset and joined them. Smith entered, carrying a pot of coffee and a few cups on a tray. ‘I took the initiative, guv.’ Smith let out a small laugh as he placed the tray down and began pouring the drinks. It had been a long, hot day for all of them but the weather was about to break, just like she hoped their case would. In the distance Gina heard a gentle rumble of thunder. A storm was brewing.

They grabbed a drink and huddled around. Jacob leaned in. ‘What a discovery. In the depths of her pocket they found a small piece of cellophane packaging.’ Jacob held up a photo. It was small, about the size of a baby’s fingernail. ‘Tests showed that minute traces of heroin were found on the packaging, which ties into van girl’s blood results. Here’s the good bit, a partial print was left on this packaging. It is currently being run through the database, no match as yet. It may belong to her, before her prints were seared off, or it may belong to the dealer or even to someone else she’d been in contact with.’

Gina smiled. ‘Great find, let’s hope for a match. Just to update you, O’Connor and I have been to see the Smiths and we have a clearer picture of how life was at home for Simone. I’ll be updating the system with my notes as soon as I get into my office. I suggest you read them immediately. I also want to speak with Simone’s biological mother, there’s a slim chance she may have gone back to her old home. Any light that Miss Duxford can shed on the case would be good. What do we know about her?’

Wyre opened her notebook. ‘Cassandra Duxford, aged thirty-five. She’s spent the last two years on a methadone and drug rehabilitation programme after being threatened with permanently losing her other two children, twins, aged three. From looking at her record, all the petty crimes she had been involved in before seemed to have stopped. No more shoplifting, no more anti-social behaviour and no more charges of soliciting. She has been off our records for a few years now. It looks on the surface that Miss Duxford is a changed woman.’

‘I’d like to see for myself. Did you have any luck contacting her?’

‘No. I tried calling a few times but her number keeps going to voicemail. I will keep trying. It’s been hard for her too, knowing what has happened to her daughter.’

‘Let’s hope she hasn’t slipped. Inform social services what has happened. She may need further support. We have two other children in her household to consider here.’

Wyre nodded. ‘Will do, guv.’

Gina took a swig of coffee as another roll of thunder built up to a clash. She took a few deep breaths to calm down her galloping heart rate. Thunder was always a trigger for her anxiety, taking her straight back to the night when she helped Terry to fall to his death. The thunder that night had been deafening. A flash of lightning filled the room.

As Gina went to place the cup on the table, she spilled the contents everywhere, soaking Wyre’s paperwork. ‘For heaven’s sake, I’m so clumsy.’

‘No worries, guv. I can print the notes out again,’ she replied as she grabbed a couple of serviettes and began mopping up the mess. ‘No harm done.’

Gina stared out of the window, waiting for lightning to strike. Another rumble filled the air. She shook her hands, willing the tremble to go away. Closing her eyes, she counted to ten and breathed in and out. Terry was gone. He could never hurt her again. ‘Shall I get you some water, guv?’

‘No, I’m fine, thanks. I just felt a bit nauseous,’ she lied. ‘Right, I’m fine now. Where was I? That’s it, the shallow grave. Are we done collecting there yet?’

Jacob put his cup down. ‘Yes, I think Bernard has taken all he needed, sample wise. Thankfully, no more bones belonging to anyone else were found in the vicinity. The announcement came at the right time this afternoon as I’ve had the Norths calling non-stop, saying that we are holding up their development and that time was money in their business. Apparently, they have some new members of staff starting soon. They want them in the property cleaning, ready for viewings. At least they will be able to do that and Mr North won’t keep calling all the time. We’ve maintained the cordon so Mr Tilly won’t be building his summerhouse anytime soon.’

‘Great. No more results to share as yet?’ Gina thought back to their chat with the Norths earlier that day. Mr North had something to hide, she was sure of it.

‘That’s it for now, guv. As always Bernard and Keith said they’d give us any information they had as they found it, before the official report is written. Bernard seemed very excited about the larvae cases providing the match between the two girls. Could we be looking at a serial killer?’

‘We have two dead girls at the moment. I really don’t want another to turn up. I don’t think Cleevesford could take much more. It’s turning into an unsafe place to live. “Help her” – I want to know who Simone was referring to on her deathbed. We’re still no further with that line of enquiry. How bad have the press been?’

Smith finished his drink and placed the empty cup on the tray. ‘They’ve apparently come in a couple of times, hoping to speak to one of us. Nick on the front desk gave them Corporate Communications’ number. Briggs also said not to tell them anything so we’ve just been fobbing them off really.’

‘Good advice. On to another strand of this investigation, I want to be kept in the loop with the drug problems in Cleevesford. If you get a tip-off, I want to be a part of it. I know it’s not my territory but given the drug link I feel we need to stay close on this one, pool intelligence, information, details of arrests. I want to know whose prints are on the cellophane wrapper and we could do worse than pulling in any potential dealers.’ The lights flickered as another rumble of thunder filled the room.

‘This is going to clear the air. I’m sick of this heatwave,’ O’Connor said as he began to doodle on his pad.

‘Me too. I’ll let you know of anything that comes in with regards to any potential drug busts. I have been in contact with the man who owns the chippy on the High Street. We’re on alert, waiting for his call. He said it happens regularly so I’m thinking it could be anytime.’

Gina smiled. ‘Great, as soon as you hear, let me know. I’m coming with you. Call me anytime. Wyre, could you dig a little deeper on Mr North? I don’t trust the man.’

Wyre nodded and returned her smile. Smith’s radio came to life as the operator read the incident out, calling for Smith and his team to attend. ‘They’re outside the chippy now. We’ve got to go.’

‘That was quick,’ Gina replied as she grabbed her phone. ‘Let’s go.’