Jake winked at Annie, deciding not to tell Cathy they already had everything. He didn’t want to push his luck. Will stood up and asked Jake for a notepad and pen, then he walked across to the breakfast bar and began to make a list.

‘Why would someone abduct women and shave off their hair – the first victim had her hair cut off in clumps; this one had her hair completely shaved – then kill them and cut off their heads? What’s the point of it all?’

Kav stretched forward. ‘The point is the shock value. He wants to have a huge impact on whoever finds the head. I think if Jake hadn’t stumbled across that first one there would have been an anonymous phone call to the police stating that they’d found a head, but you saved them the trouble. The one today was purposely planted in the car of someone who worked at the station. And why? Well, we all know why. Because whoever did it knew that Annie would find out.’

Annie lifted her hand to her mouth. ‘He won’t know about the Mini, will he? If it was him he would have been looking for my red Mini. He probably thought the Mercedes belonged to one of the supervisors and that the Clio was mine.’

They all nodded in agreement.

‘So here’s the million-dollar question: where is he staying? Is it in Barrow or Bowness? And where could the two most wanted fugitives in Britain be living relatively incognito at this moment in time? They wouldn’t be able to rent a house. You need references and money to do that. I doubt they could afford to stay in a hotel or guest house. They would need more anonymity than that would afford them.’

‘What about a camp site or caravan park? They would pretty much be able to come and go as they please, especially this time of year, and it would be much cheaper to stay there than anywhere else.’

‘I think you’re right, Annie.’

Will leant across and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Tomorrow we’ll compile a list of the nearest ones and take them one at a time. We can send plain-clothes officers in to speak to the staff and show pictures of them around, see if anyone can recognise them.’

Cathy burped. ‘Excuse me. I think we might be on to something but this has to be hush, hush. If he gets an inkling that we’re searching for him it might make him panic and do something rash. I vote that we don’t even mention his name in any of the press releases. Keep the links to him tenuous at all times. We’ll keep it to ourselves for the time being and work our way through what you’ve just suggested. The only problem is: do you realise how many fucking caravan and camp sites there are? We’re in camp-site city. It could take months.’

‘Then we ask Grace Marshall for a favour, get her to do a geographical profile, see if she can narrow it down. It’s the least she can do seeing as how he walked out of her hospital without so much as a second glance back.’

Will was busy scribbling it all down. Alex stood up to go and check on Alice. There was nothing he could do. It was all way out of his league and he felt like a spare part. When he’d left Jake turned to the others. ‘So do you think he knows about us, where we live, what cars we drive?’

Annie shook her head. ‘No, if he didn’t know whose car belonged to whom then he doesn’t know much. He knows me and he knows Will, and I’m sorry, but he probably remembers you, Jake, from the trial, but he hasn’t got a clue where you live, or about Alex, or you, Cathy. His main focus is me and I think he’s just winging it, to be honest. I also think that that nurse who helped him, Megan, is helping him now, because it’s not easy to carry a body to a car and through a field on your own. The only reason he never took Emma Tyson to the old mansion was because he couldn’t carry her through the woods, so we need to be on the lookout for Megan as well. If she’s helping him to kill women then she could be just as dangerous – maybe even more than him. You hear of couples who get together and there’s something in the dynamics of the relationship that makes them thrive off each other and kill for pleasure. I think it’s the both of them.’

Jake yawned and Kav stood up.

‘Thanks, Jake. I’d best get going. There’s a lot to think about. I want to get some sleep and have a clear head for the morning. What time did the super say the briefing was going to be?’

Cathy answered, ‘The dick said eight. Can you give me a lift home, Kav? Come inside and check my house is all secure and make sure there’s no scary men hiding under my bed?’

They laughed, but all of them knew there was a real possibility of this happening if it did turn out to be Henry Smith. Kav, ever the gentleman, agreed, and Jake walked them to the car outside. All three of them scanned the street but there were no strange cars parked or any weird men hanging around.

Cathy got into the passenger seat of Kav’s car and he rolled his eyes at Jake. Jake had heard rumours that, years ago, before she’d married the chief super, Cathy and Kav had had an affair, but he’d been married at the time and she’d wanted to settle down. But they did make a pretty good couple. Maybe once this was sorted out he could do a little bit of matchmaking. He’d always said she needed a good shag to sort her out. He went back inside to Annie and Will, who were both curled up on the sofa.

‘I bet you a tenner Kav spends the night with Cathy and they come to work together in the morning.’

‘Rubbish. They’re always arguing.’

‘That might be, Annie, but there’s something about being scared and living dangerously that makes a quick shag all the better.’

Will laughed. ‘Are you all right if we crash here tonight? I don’t want to put you and Alex out but it’s a long way back to Hawkshead, and I’m knackered.’

‘Of course you can. I’d rather you both stayed here. At least I know where you are – just no noisy shagging. I don’t want you waking the baby up.’

Annie stood up and slapped his arm. ‘You are so crude at times. As if. I wouldn’t dream of doing that in your house. I’m so tired I just want to get into bed and sleep for a week.’

‘Yes, well, that won’t be happening either. Do you have any idea how many times a night babies cry and need their nappy changing or a bottle of milk?’

‘No, but I’m sure we’ll find out. Goodnight, Jake. Say goodnight to Alex for us, and thank you.’

They headed off upstairs to the guest room, which might as well have had a sign on the door that said ‘Annie’s Room’. She spent almost as much time here as she did her own home. They both undressed and crawled into bed where Annie snuggled up to Will, and even though she never thought she’d go to sleep, she drifted off in seconds, closely followed by Will.

***

Kav parked outside Cathy’s house, which looked like every other bungalow on the street. You would never have guessed the police circus that had been outside the front less than two hours ago. He got out of the car and walked across to the front door, waiting for her to find her keys. She finally found them and opened the door; before she walked in she pushed her arm through the open gap and felt along the wall until she reached the switch, flicking it and bathing the hall in light.

Kav never said a word. He had seen a different side to her tonight. One that wasn’t as tough as old work boots. They’d been friends for years, even lovers for a while a long time ago, but it hadn’t worked out. He’d refused to walk out on his wife even though he didn’t particularly love her, and Cathy had moved on and married, then divorced, the man who was now the super. Kav walked in with her close behind, shutting the front door. He then continued to check each room in turn, saving her bedroom for last. It was painted grey and white with a huge Marilyn Monroe print above the bed, and he nodded.

‘Excellent taste. I like your bedroom. It’s classy yet understated.’

She giggled. ‘What are you now, an interior designer? I’m glad you approve. I’ll sleep better tonight.’