'Joke,' sighed Dalziel. 'What's the problem?'

'Nothing really. He's down here visiting some old friends.'

'So?'

'So when he arrived this morning, three of the old friends were dead. Shotgun at close range.'

Now there was a long silence.

'Christ,' said Dalziel finally. Another silence.

'That's rough,' said Dalziel. 'I don't think he's got enough old friends left to spare three.'

Backhouse made a moue of distaste at the callousness of the comment, though he thought he detected a hint of real concern in the intonation. But he might have been mistaken.

'Anyway,' said Backhouse, 'I'm just interested in confirming that he and Miss Soper didn't arrive till this morning.'

'She's with him, is she?' grunted Dalziel.

'You know her?'

'Vaguely. Hey listen, my lad, you're not thinking Pascoe had anything to do with this, are you?'

'Just checking, Andy. He says he got held up on a case last night.'

'Too true, he did. He wasn't best pleased, but he's a dutiful lad. He was here till about nine-thirty. Then we had a drink till closing. That suit you?'

'I think so. We haven't had the PM yet, but the doctor was very certain it happened last evening. I wasn't really concerned about the sergeant, but I wanted to be sure. He may be a great help to us.'

'Now watch it!' said Dalziel threateningly. 'We've got work to do here too, you know. Nothing glamorous like a multi-murder, but someone's got to catch thieves. And I need Pascoe. He's due back Monday. I'll expect him Monday.'

'We do have experienced detectives of our own,' said Backhouse drily. 'No, the way he can help is with his knowledge of the missing man.'

'Missing man?'

'Didn't I say? We're one light. The host, the man whose cottage it is, Colin Hopkins. Your sergeant's special mate.'

‘I see,' said Dalziel. 'You reckon him for it, then?'