‘Fine. She’ll be one tomorrow.’

‘One! Can’t believe it. Seems like only yesterday that she was born.’

‘Less of the chatting, Sergeant,’ says Nelson, not looking at Ruth. ‘This is a crime investigation, not a coffee morning.’ He turns to Henty. ‘What happened?’

‘Got a call at two-twenty.’ Henty flips open his notebook. ‘Came through to the duty desk. Dr Galloway was at the museum and found the curator, Neil Topham, lying on the floor beside the coffin. The one that was due to be opened at three. Dr Galloway called the emergency services – police and ambulance. Taylor and I got here the same time as the ambulance. Paramedics took him to hospital but he was DOA.’

‘Damn.’

That was bad news for Neil Topham admittedly, but also for the investigation. The body will be covered with the prints of the well-meaning paramedics. And the only evidence of the crime scene will be the one witness. Ruth Galloway.

‘Have next of kin been informed?’

‘DS Johnson’s at the hospital now.’

That’s good. Judy Johnson’s the best at that kind of thing. Get bad news from Clough and you might never recover.

Nelson looks at his watch. It’s now three-thirty. ‘Did you manage to stop the vultures descending?’

Henty coughs deprecatingly. ‘I rang Superintendent Whitcliffe and informed the local press.’

‘Whitcliffe isn’t coming is he?’

‘No. He said he’d let you deal.’

I bet he did, thinks Nelson savagely.

‘Rocky turned away the rest of the public,’ says Henty. ‘Your friend was there. The warlock.’

Nelson grunts, recognising the description without difficulty. ‘Cathbad? Of course he was there. Opening a coffin would be just his idea of fun.’

‘He said he wanted to talk to you,’ says Henty impassively. ‘Something about skulls and the unquiet dead.’

Nelson grunts again. ‘Well it’ll have to wait. Can you show me the room where the body was found? Clough, wait here with Dr Galloway.’ And he stalks away without a backward glance.