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Barnicoat boy who was in here this morning. There’s a body up there, sir.’
    â€˜A body – well, who is it?’
    â€˜We don’t know, sir. Coad stayed there and got word to us.’
    â€˜Come on, Boase – Hunter’s Path, you say?’
    â€˜Yes, sir.’
    Bartlett and Boase ran to the door of the station and got into one of two police cars that were waiting at the front.
    After a short drive the police car drew to a halt underneath Pendennis Castle and Bartlett and Boase walked quickly to Hunter’s Path and towards the precise location they had been given. Coad was waiting for them.
    â€˜What’s going on here, Coad?’
    Coad stood to one side to reveal the body of a man lying on the ground.
    â€˜He’s been shot through the head, sir.’
    Bartlett knelt down by the body.
    â€˜No trace of a weapon by the body so definitely not suicide. We need to identify this poor chap as soon as possible. Boase?’
    The younger man stepped closer to the body.
    â€˜Oh no! I know who this is, sir.’
    â€˜Who is it?’
    Boase stepped back and looked at Bartlett.
    â€˜It’s Clicker, sir.’
    â€˜Clicker? The clown? You sure about that?’
    â€˜Yes, sir, I am. I saw him only last night when Irene and I went to the circus.’
    â€˜I thought you said he didn’t turn up?’
    â€˜That’s right – but I spotted him while we were queuing. Irene saw him too. I never said anything because it didn’t seem important. I just thought he was unwell – being so old and all that.’
    â€˜So, why on earth would he be here, shot through the head? Did he seem all right when you saw him?’
    â€˜I’m not really sure, sir. He looked a bit fed up – I said as much to Irene.’
    â€˜What was he doing when you saw him?’
    â€˜He was standing behind one of the caravans talking to a young woman. They were looking at a newspaper then she put her arms around him and they went off in different directions.’
    â€˜Right, well, we’ll talk about that more later. Make arrangements to get this place examined and to sort out this poor old man.’
    Having returned to the station, Bartlett and Boase sat in their shared office. Bartlett lit his pipe.
    â€˜So, where do we start with this, Boase? Any ideas?’
    â€˜Yes, sir. Plenty. I think we need to start with the those people at the circus – we need to get up there straight away.’
    â€˜I agree – that’s a good starting point. Get some men together will you?’
    As Bartlett and Boase walked up Killigrew and made their way to the recreation ground, Boase pulled a small pork pie from his pocket.
    â€˜You can’t be hungry again, Boase. After all that food this morning?’
    â€˜Well, I just noticed this in my pocket this morning, sir – I think it’s on the turn, so I thought I should eat it today.’
    â€˜You’re going to end up poisoning yourself. Anyway, never mind that – who was this woman you saw speaking to the clown?’
    â€˜I don’t actually know. I didn’t get a proper look at her. I could tell she was young but I only really saw her from the back. I noticed she had long, dark hair. She was wearing a pale blue cardigan and navy trousers.’
    â€˜Well, that’s something. Do you think she’s a member of the troupe?’
    â€˜Difficult to say, sir. I’ve brought along a list of all the people we interviewed before so I think we should concentrate on the women first, maybe … see if we can find her.’
    â€˜That sounds like a good idea, Boase.’
    The two men, followed by three constables, had now reached the recreation ground. Bartlett gave the three men his instructions and then turned to Boase.
    â€˜Right. Who are the women on your list?’
    Boase flicked through a small notebook.
    â€˜Well, we’ve got, let me see, there’s the trapeze artists