‘Lee Webster,’ said Lucy. ‘Who could possibly find that man charming?’

Natalie resisted the obvious answer. Lucy was in danger of letting her emotions hamper her judgement. Natalie preferred a more measured approach. ‘I asked Murray to have both him and Adam brought back to the station for further questioning. There are too many coincidences here, they both lied about their whereabouts on Friday night and they’re both connected to Samantha’s husband, Daniel. Murray’s fetching in that barman too. We’ll drop off at Daniel’s house first before we return and interview any of them. I gather he’s been notified of his wife’s death.’

They drove on. Natalie mulled over what they’d seen at the house then spoke again. ‘What do you make of the messages the killer’s been leaving behind?’

‘They’re telling us something but I can’t work it out. Is it part of a poem or song lyrics?’

‘None that I recognise. Why? Who? All I keep coming back to is that they’re two of the five main questions asked in basic problem-solving. They’re questions we as investigators always ask. Could they be directed at us?’

‘Sure they could, but if that’s the case, they’re out of order. We usually ask who, what, when, where and then why. We don’t start with why.’

Natalie let out an irritated sigh. ‘It’s fucking impossible to decipher the messages and I hate playing guessing games. We ought to concentrate on similarities between the two victims, or links: same interests, same hangouts – anything they both liked doing. The perpetrator might be after a certain type.’

‘Both of them had long hair and brown eyes.’

‘We’ll examine their lives in more detail when we get back to the station. Social media ought to throw up something. As for the messages written in blood, we can only surmise. What we could really do with is a criminal profiler to help us work out what sort of crazed mind we’re dealing with.’

A light drizzle was falling. The windscreen wipers flicked on and off automatically, dragging across the screen and leaving behind a smeary, grey rainbow. Daniel Kirkdale’s street came into view, a different kind of street to where his wife lived, a cul-de-sac of bungalows with neat gardens and wide pavements. Natalie couldn’t help but wonder if Samantha would be alive if she hadn’t moved out of this neighbourhood.

Daniel answered the door, the top button on his shirt undone and a wild look in his eyes. Behind him was a woman with wide blue eyes, who moved away at the sound of Natalie’s voice.

‘Come in,’ he said wearily. ‘Carla’s here. She’s my… she’s helping me through this.’

‘I’m truly sorry for your loss. I appreciate you talking to us. How’s your little boy?’ Natalie asked, the image of the child in the sweater once more in her mind.

‘Oscar’s asleep. He crashed out as soon as he got here – shock and tiredness. We’re keeping an eye on him. I don’t know how I’m going to tell him his mum has gone forever. Thank goodness Carla’s here to help. I couldn’t cope on my own. You got any idea who killed Samantha? Adam’s wife was killed too. Do you think this is connected in any way?’

‘We’re looking at every possible angle and not ruling out anything at this stage. We’re doing our utmost to track down the perpetrator, and your information might help us.’

‘You want to sit down?’ He waved a hand at a couple of chairs. ‘The liaison officer left a short while ago. She told me what to expect. You’re leading the investigation?’

Lucy and Natalie took a seat each. Natalie answered. ‘That’s right. I’d like to start by asking when you last spoke to Samantha.’

‘Spoke to her? Sunday. I went around to her place to take Oscar out. She let me have him twice a month. He came back here and played with Carla’s kids. She’s got two.’

‘You all live here now?’

‘Since Samantha moved out. I didn’t force her to leave. It was her decision.’ He raised sad eyes.

‘How did she seem when you last saw her?’

‘Fine. Things weren’t fantastic between us but we managed to be civil to each other.’

‘Do you know Lee Webster?’ Natalie continued. Lucy remained silent.

‘Lee? Yes. He helps out at Adam’s place. Teaches boxing.’

‘Are you friends with him?’

‘Of a fashion. We’re both involved in the club. I sponsor a couple of the kids. Hope they’ll make it into professional boxing one day in the future.’

‘And was one of the kids you sponsor Finn Kennedy?’

Daniel’s eyes narrowed. ‘It was, but Finn threw away the opportunity.’

‘What exactly do you do as a sponsor?’

‘I pay for a kid’s training, promote tournaments, his kit, publicity, travel and lodging when he’s at an event, and support him when he fights by turning up.’

‘How much does that cost?’

‘Depends on the individual. If he’s good, it can cost a fair amount to set him up and make sure he has everything he needs, around a grand per annum until they become bigger names.’

‘Why did Adam throw Finn out? You must know. You were his sponsor.’

‘He got completely out of hand. The more accomplished he became at boxing, the more his attitude became loutish. He began picking on some of the younger boys and there were a couple of incidents when he and another lad actually took knives into the club and used them. Adam has strict rules. That’s what his club’s about. It’s to help those who haven’t been given any opportunities in life to learn to stand up for themselves, develop pride and confidence; it isn’t so they can become violent thugs. He thought Finn was too wayward. I agreed.’

‘Do you happen to know who the other lad was?’

‘Hassan Ali. He got thrown out too. He’s a right troublemaker.’

Natalie heard Lucy shift forward in her chair at this news. She maintained the steady flow of questions. ‘Did Samantha ever visit the boxing club?’

‘She came with me a couple of times. Not to watch the fights or anything. She was with me when I stopped off to talk to Adam.’

‘Did she know any of the boys?’

‘Not really. She didn’t chat to them. They might have recognised her but I don’t think they ever spoke to her.’

‘She didn’t talk to Finn or Hassan?’

‘Not that I know of.’

‘Were you aware she was seeing Lee Webster?’

‘Was she? I had no idea. Lee? He’s not really her type.’

‘What do you mean by that exactly?’

‘He’s a bit rough and ready. I wouldn’t have thought Samantha would have been attracted to him. How did they get together? I wasn’t aware she knew him that well. He was in the office once or twice, but going out together?’ His face screwed up in puzzlement.

‘What about Inge Redfern. Did you know her?’

‘Name doesn’t ring a bell.’

‘Petite, brunette, used to go out with Finn.’

‘He didn’t mention her to me, not that we talked a lot about girls. I was his sponsor. I used to go to the club to find out how he was getting along with his training and check his progress. I didn’t sit down and chat about his love life. Hang on, I think I remember him kissing somebody outside the club one time. That might have been her.’

‘You didn’t see her on your visits to the boxing club? Not in Adam’s office, for example?’

He shook his head.

‘Samantha didn’t mention her?’

‘Never.’

‘Did Samantha mention any concerns – anybody suddenly taking an unwelcome interest in her, strange phone calls?’

‘We didn’t have much to say to each other at all after the split. We kept it civil for Oscar’s sake. Conversations were limited and usually only about pick-up and drop-off times.’

‘I have to ask you the following question. It’s procedure. Where were you today?’

‘Samford Electronics, where I work. There are plenty of people who can vouch for me. I didn’t leave until the police came to tell me about Samantha.’ He pressed fingers against his forehead. ‘The officers wouldn’t tell me how she died.’

‘We can’t release the exact details of her death, sir, however it appears she was stabbed. We’re waiting for the pathologist’s report to confirm that. As soon as we can release further information, we’ll obviously let you know.’

He blinked away tears. ‘Thanks. I want to know even though I don’t want to think about what she went through, or what Oscar might have witnessed. I want him to get over this as best he can. Carla says kids bounce back quickly. I hope he does.’

‘How long have you and Adam been friends?’

‘Since he left prison. While he was inside, he became friendly with my brother, Jason, who was at the same prison serving a stint for dangerous driving. Jason mentioned I’d always been heavily into boxing. I used to box years ago although I didn’t have the support, encouragement or money to make it into the sport big time. Adam looked me up as soon as he got out of prison, asked if I’d be interested in his project to help youngsters. That’s how I became involved. I liked the idea of helping someone grab chances I never had. Those kids have it rough and I mean really rough in some cases. I don’t need to tell you that. You’ll have seen all sorts in your job. Like Adam, I wanted to give some of them a lucky break or opportunity to make something of themselves, and not be held back by family or circumstances. It was a shame Finn blew his chance, and Hassan. Total muppets, the pair of them.’

Natalie needed to wrap it up. She’d learnt something valuable: Hassan Ali had also been thrown out of the club and, according to Daniel, was a troublemaker. She wanted to act on it and locate the two teenagers, as well as speak to Lee, Adam and Vitor. She and Lucy left with assurances they would do everything they could to bring the killer to justice.

Back in the car Natalie thumped the steering wheel with the flat of her hand. ‘Bloody hell, Lucy. Hassan Ali. We had him but the sneaky little bastard slipped away. He wasn’t just covering for Finn, he was covering for himself.’

---

Ian and Murray had returned to the office ahead of Natalie and Lucy. Ian was tapping on the computer keyboard but looked up when Natalie spoke.

‘Have you got a trace on Hassan Ali’s mobile, Ian?’

‘He dumped it. Left it behind at the flat. He must be using a pay-as-you-go.’

‘Hassan and Finn are involved in this somehow. Can one of you speak to the IT department? Ask them to run the new facial recognition programme that connects to surveillance and CCTV cameras. We need to flush them out quickly.’

‘Vitor’s downstairs.’ Murray waited for a response.

‘He said anything?’

‘Nothing yet but he looks like he might crumble.’

‘Good. Where are Lee and Adam?’

‘They should be on their way. I sent officers to detain them.’

‘Right, we’ll begin with Vitor. Murray, as soon as Adam and Lee get here, let us know. I want results tonight.’

She typed a quick text to David.

The reply was instant

She typed out a response.

She waited for a reaction, wondering if she ought to phone David and talk it through before realising she actually didn’t want to speak to him. That’s why she’d sent the text in the first place. It was simply easier than talking. She’d decided to believe him about the gambling. The bank account wasn’t showing any withdrawals so although she was annoyed he’d even thought about betting or gaming again, she wasn’t going to have another argument about it, and certainly not while she was conducting such an important investigation. If David was needing reassurance from her, he’d have to wait.

She replaced her phone and strode towards the door, calling out, ‘Okay. Let’s go.’

---

Vitor Lopes’s knee bounced up and down in a nervous, irregular rhythm. Lucy had him on the ropes. Natalie watched her colleague, whose eyes were fully trained on the barman. The recording machine had been switched on and Vitor kept throwing it covert glances.

‘We have a witness who can place Lee outside his house at ten thirty p.m. He can’t possibly have been in the White Horse at the time you told us. So, Mr Lopes, would you like to tell us the truth?’

‘Can we make a deal?’

‘This isn’t a television show. We don’t make deals. You answer my question honestly, and if you don’t, I charge you for perverting the course of justice and you get to spend time in the cells. Given you lied to us earlier about Adam being in the pub and were released with a caution, if we throw in this additional offence, you could get up to thirty-six months inside.’

‘You don’t understand—’ Vitor began.

‘I understand perfectly. You lied to give both Adam and Lee alibis. A woman was murdered. You could be protecting a murderer, and if that proves to be the case, you will be sent down for aiding and abetting, which will add even more time to your sentence. Your future is not looking too bright for you, so here’s the deal. You tell us the truth and none of that will happen. Sound reasonable to you?’ Lucy cocked her head for a response.

‘But if Lee finds out, he’ll do terrible things to me.’

‘Oh come, come, Mr Lopes. You played that card last time. I’m sure prison will be a far worse option.’

His head swung from side to side like a wonky pendulum as he weighed up his choices. Eventually he agreed.

‘Lee was on a job the night of the murder – a break-in. We have an agreement. I act as his alibi. Every time he’s on one, I get paid a hundred pounds as a sweetener. If the cops, or anyone else, actually question me about his whereabouts, I get paid extra. He rang me in the early hours of Saturday morning and told me I had to vouch for Adam too because he was helping him. He promised to give me five hundred pounds if anyone showed up asking about either of them.’

‘Where was this job – this break-in – supposed to be taking place?’

‘I don’t know for sure but he targets small businesses, warehouses, that sort of thing, and does them over. I honestly know no more than that. He pays me cash every time.’

‘Why would Adam be involved in such a crime? He doesn’t need the money.’

‘Dunno. I did what Lee asked me. That’s all.’

‘Didn’t it seem strange to you that Adam would be helping Lee with robbery when he apparently has sufficient wealth?’

‘I didn’t think anything. It was five hundred notes. I’d have sworn the pope was with Lee if it meant earning a few hundred quid.’

‘Did Lee ever bring a woman into the pub with him?’

‘Now and again. He wasn’t a hermit.’

‘Do you recognise this woman?’

Lucy pushed across Samantha Kirkdale’s photograph.

‘Yeah, he was with her a few nights ago. They had a couple of drinks.’

‘How did they seem?’

‘I wasn’t paying attention.’

‘Come on, Vitor. You see everything that goes on in that place. Don’t play that game with me.’

‘Like a couple: holding hands, occasional kisses, that sort of thing. He gave me a wink when they left.’

‘You knew Charlotte Brannon, didn’t you?’ Lucy was taking a chance with her suggestion. He could easily deny it but he was defeated and willing to talk.

‘Yes.’

‘You ever see Lee with Charlotte Brannon?’

‘Only the once. It was a while ago. I thought Adam was going to join them but he didn’t. They had an argument and she walked out the pub. Lee asked me not to mention it to Adam, so I didn’t.’

‘When exactly did this happen?’

‘Can’t really remember. It was sometime in January.’

‘Do you recognise either of these two individuals?’

She pushed across photographs of Hassan and Finn taken from social media.

He studied them carefully. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘Does the name Finn Kennedy mean anything to you?’

‘He shook his head.’

‘Hassan Ali?’

‘No. Is that them?’

‘You haven’t seen them in your pub maybe talking to Lee or Adam?’

‘Never seen or heard of them.’

‘Are you absolutely sure this time? I don’t want to have to bring you back and charge you.’

‘One hundred per cent sure.’

Lucy tidied the photographs away. ‘Thank you for your assistance, Mr Lopes.’

‘Is that it? I can leave?’

‘Unless you want to tell us anything else?’

Vitor lifted his jacket from his lap and stood up. ‘You put me in a difficult situation.’

‘I think you’ll find you put yourself in that position, sir,’ Lucy said briskly.