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straightening the paper in front of him.
    Campbell nodded and sipped his water.
    For the next hour and thirty minutes Campbell answered questions as the policeman prompted him through the sequence of events of the preceding Saturday evening. He seemed to believe him when he said he couldn’t remember things, perhaps recognising the anxious look on Campbell ’s face for the fear and confusion that it was, rather than for guilt.
    They went over it twice and Campbell signed his name and told Scott the names of four people whose numbers he could remember who he swore would be able to corroborate the story, to confirm that nobody knew the man, that nobody had even spoken with him.
    ‘Ask anyone,’ Campbell said imploringly, ‘Honestly. Nobody knew him.’
    ‘Of course Mr Campbell. As you say. In fact that’s very much the problem at the moment.’ the policeman replied with a frown.
    When they had been over everything and the paperwork was put to one side, the Constable looked at his watch and then at Campbell . ‘Sorry to have kept you.’
    ‘That’s ok, ’ Campbell replied. ‘So that’s it then? I mean, you’re happy? With what I told you. It’s all…’
    The policeman waited for him to finish the sentence, the note of desperation obvious, the desire for him to say that yes, everything was fine, we believe you. ‘Fine for now. Naturally we need to check a few more things out. Speak to people.’
    ‘Of course.’
    There was a pause as Campbell ’s disappointment hung in the air and the Constable refused to do anything about it and then spoke again. ‘Listen, we’ll probably need to look over the place. I mean we will. For definite. I know you said you cleaned everything but even so.’
    As he had done earlier, Campbell ’s cheeks reddened a little. Cleaning the grisly mess had seemed the most obvious thing to do the day before. Now he fretted that it just made him look more suspicious.
    ‘We might be able do it now if you like?’ Constable Scott said.
    ‘Well… OK. Sure.’
    ‘I’ll have to bring a superior along. Let me just see if anyone’s free.’ he said and trotted out of the room again.
    Campbell had already called the office to tell his boss that he would be late this morning, offering only scant information about exactly why he was going to the local police station. That scrap alone would have started a feeding frenzy amongst the gossips and dodging them for another hour was alright with him. Especially if he could get things tied up with the police, he thought. Show them everything was as he said it was. Then when they’d spoken to some of the other guests and his story checked out he’d be in the clear again. Wouldn’t he?
    He realised this was as positive as he’d been since it had happened and the awful hangover, the paranoia and the lack of sleep had compounded his dark mood. Once things were cleared up he’d be ok, he told himself. Perhaps he’d even call in sick and get some more sleep. That would make him feel better, a few hours sleep.
    He had just started thinking over viable ways of getting the rest of the day off when the door opened again. A tall man in a dark suit with a pale blue shirt and pink tie followed Constable Scott into the room and offered Campbell his hand and a forced smile. Campbell took the hand but no reasuurance.
    ‘Mr Campbell. DC Samuel. How are you?’
    Campbell had long since given up trying to answer that question without either lying or sounding miserable so he shrugged again.
    ‘Of course. Nasty business. Constable Scott here tells me that you’d like us to come and look around?’ the detective continued.
    ‘Yeah. I mean he said we could do it now, you know, get things out of the way.’
    ‘Indeed. Let’s.’ Detective Constable Samuel said and span on his heel leaving Campbell and Constable Scott to conclude that they were expected to follow.
     
    *
     
    Campbell sat in the back of the big Vauxhall and told the story to DC Samuel, feeling all