'Someone has been talking to Captain Ridgeon,' he said.

The sergeant turned to him. 'What's that, Inspector?'

'This report lays the blame squarely on the shoulders of Frank Pike. I just hope that his widow doesn't read it.'

'Isn't it possible that the driver of the Brighton Express was at fault?' suggested Leeming.

'I think it highly unlikely, Victor.'

'Why?'

'Pike had an unblemished record,' said Colbeck. 'If there had been any doubts at all about his skill as an engine driver, he would never have been allowed to take charge of the Brighton Express.'

'We all make mistakes from time to time, sir.'

'I'm not convinced that a mistake was made in this case.'

'How do you know that?'

'I don't,' admitted Colbeck. 'I'm working on instinct.'

'Well,' said Leeming, 'for what it's worth, my instinct tells me that we're on a wild goose chase. In my view, we could be more usefully employed elsewhere. We should let the railway company do their job while we get on with ours.'

'I think you'll find that the two jobs may overlap.'

'Is that what Captain Ridgeon told you?'

'Far from it, Victor,' said the other with a grim chuckle. 'The inspector general inclined to your view that we have no business at all being there. It was a polite way of saying that we were treading on his toes.'

'So why are we bothering to go back, sir?'

'We need to find out the truth – and if that involves stamping hard on both of the captain's feet, so be it. We must establish whether the crash was accidental or deliberate.'

'How do we do that?'

'In two obvious ways,' said Colbeck. 'First, we inspect the point at which the express actually left the track to see if there's any sign of criminal intent. Second, we speak to John Heddle. He was on the footplate at the time so will be an invaluable witness.'