---

Hannah Price was in her early sixties, but the deep frown lines and thin face made her seem older. She eased onto a kitchen chair next to a pine table, on which stood a mug of tea, her inhaler and a romance novel.

‘Poor little mite,’ she said, shaking her head.

‘Aiden’s your younger grandson?’ Robyn asked.

Hannah smiled, the corners of her eyes creasing. ‘He is. Kyle’s older. He’s totally different to Aiden. He suffers from a mild form of autism so he can be a bit of a handful at times. Kyle shot off as soon as we got on that trail. I ought to have known. I thought it’d be a nice, easy walk, but it was bitterly cold in the wind, and I couldn’t keep up with the pair of them jumping and racing about. I told them they could go on ahead if they stayed within sight. I wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to either of them.’ She gave a small shudder. ‘Kyle went off like a rocket, but I could still see Aiden. He turned and waved at me, and I shouted for him to wait up, but he continued. I hurried up the path after him, but I had to stop to take my inhaler. Once I start getting breathing difficulties, I need to stop for a minute. Anyhow, I heard a noise – a high-pitched howl – then Kyle came bounding back and asked where Aiden was. I panicked, which made my asthma worse. I didn’t know what to do. I grabbed Kyle’s hand and told him to stay beside me and we both started shouting Aiden’s name. We called out five or six times and he suddenly appeared, near some trees. His face was so white I knew something dreadful had happened. I asked him what was wrong and he wouldn’t answer. Then Kyle told him he was an idiot to rush off and Aiden began to cry. He said there was a scary man in a car like his mum’s. I asked him if the man had touched him or spoken to him, and he shook his head. I began to wonder if he’d been mistaken. Little boys can have vivid imaginations at times. Then, I spotted a glimpse of red through the bushes. I pushed through them into a clearing and saw the car. From where I was standing I could see exactly what had frightened Aiden. I dialled nine-nine-nine immediately and reported it.’

‘You didn’t move closer to the vehicle, Mrs Price?’

The woman shuddered. ‘Absolutely not. I walked the boys back to the café at the beginning of the trail and told a member of the staff what I’d seen. She phoned her manager. It all went crazy after that. Within a few minutes the police arrived. I wanted to get the boys back home as soon as possible. I made a statement and Aiden was asked some questions but to be honest he wasn’t up to answering them. The officer agreed it was best for us to leave.’

‘Did you notice anyone else near or around the car at the time?’ Robyn asked.

Hannah rubbed her lips together in concentration. ‘The police asked me that, and since then I’ve been racking my brains, but I didn’t see anyone. I was anxious about Kyle and Aiden so I didn’t really look as hard as maybe I ought to have. Do you think the killer was still about?’

Robyn shook her head. ‘I doubt it. I think they’d already left. Were there many people on the trail with you?’

‘There was a mother and three children, but they were on the way back to the car park when we met them. They were taking photographs at the first marker. I didn’t see anyone else at all,’ Hannah answered. ‘I shouldn’t have taken the boys. The weather wasn’t good. Emma, that’s their mum, wasn’t keen for them to go and yet I insisted. I should have listened to her and gone on a different day.’

‘What time did you arrive at Cannock Chase, Mrs Price?’ asked Robyn.

‘We were later than I’d hoped. Had trouble getting Kyle ready and then traffic was bad. There was a broken-down vehicle on a roundabout coming out of Stafford, and to cap it all I couldn’t find the right entrance to the trail. The Chase is so big. I went to the wrong car park at first. We got there about one fifteen. By the time we had lunch, collected the activity packs from the café and headed off on the trail, it was one forty-five.’

‘I don’t suppose you heard anything like gunfire or a car exhaust backfiring at any time, did you?’

Hannah breathed in, lips pressed together, and thought. Eventually, she replied. ‘No. I didn’t. I’m pretty sure I didn’t hear anything.’

‘And finally, could you tell me what time it was when Aiden discovered the car?’ Robyn asked.

‘I can’t be certain. I’d guess sometime between two and two-fifteen.’

---

As they drove back in the direction of Stafford, Robyn was already assimilating what she’d learned. The pathologist had put Henry Gregson’s death at between one and three. Hannah Price’s statement had corroborated that he was dead at about 2 p.m. and she hadn’t heard any gunshot while in the vicinity. Based on that information, Henry Gregson had been murdered sometime before 2 p.m. Robyn needed to know who was on the Chase before that time. Not only did she want to talk to Aiden, she wanted to interview the family of three who were returning to the car park when Hannah and her grandchildren were beginning the Gruffalo Trail. She called Anna.

‘Nobody knew who they were,’ said Anna. ‘They came into the café at twelve thirty, bought some drinks, paid in cash and left. They didn’t get an activity pack. The staff at the café didn’t see them leave either, or their vehicle. I’m about to check the security camera footage to see if we can spot their car in the car park.’

Robyn let out a soft huff of annoyance. It would have been easier to trace the family if they’d used a card as payment. ‘Okay, keep me informed.’

Mitz spoke without shifting his gaze from the road. ‘That family were taking pictures at the first marker point, which must mean they were using the Gruffalo Spotter application. Those photos will have been automatically added to the device’s gallery and can be shared via social media using the hashtag GruffaloSpotters. If we search recent additions on Instagram or Twitter, we might stand a chance of finding them.’

‘Good thinking, Mitz. Can you look into that further?’ She was interrupted by her mobile. ‘Robyn Carter.’

‘I’ve left all the information I could find on Henry Gregson on your desk. He was squeaky clean. Worked in the local convenience store in Lichfield. Is there anything else you need from me tonight, only I’ve got a table booked…’ David Marker’s voice trailed off.

‘No, David. You get off. See you in the morning.’