“Yes,” I said weakly, thinking, so how come you only ever arrest gyppos, nutters, and Paddies.

“Best result now is to find the body quick.”

My guts coming back, “What do you think…”

“Can’t do bugger all without a body. Helps the family too, in long road.”

“So what will…”

“Check the bins, see who’s got themselves an early away day.” He was almost smiling, thinking about winking again.

I fought for my breath. “What about Jeanette Garland and Susan Ridyard?”

Detective Chief Superintendent George Oldman half opened his mouth, running a fat, wet, purple and yellow tongue along his thin lower lip.

I thought I was going to shit myself right there and then in the middle of his office.

George Oldman reeled in his tongue and closed his mouth, the tiny black eyes staring into my own.

There was a soft knock at the door and Julie brought in two cups of tea on a cheap floral tray.

George Oldman, eyes on me, smiled and said, “Thank you, Julie love.”

Julie closed the door on her way out.

Unsure I still had the power of speech, I began to mutter, “Jeanette Garland and Susan Ridyard both went…”

“I know what bloody happened, Mr Dunston.”

“Well, I was just wondering, thinking back -to Cannock Chase…”

“What the fuck do you know about Cannock Chase?”

“The similarity…”

Oldman brought his fist down on to the desk. “Raymond Morris has been under lock and fucking key since nineteen bloody sixty-eight.”

I was staring at the two small white cups on the desjc, watching them rattle. As calmly and as evenly as I could, I said, “I’m sorry. What I’m trying to say is that, in that case, three little girls were murdered and it turned out to be the work of one man.”

George Oldman leant forward, his arms on the desk, and sneered, “Those little lasses were raped and murdered, God help them. And their bodies were found.”

“But, you said…”