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do everything to protect my son and, though I don’t want to think about it, I know he would do the same for me. If trouble comes, then it comes. I’ve learned enough to know that some things cannot be controlled or avoided.’
    Gregory nodded. ‘You’re a good man, Harry. The sort I’d choose to have at my back,’ he said, and then he departed, leaving Harry, the man who was not just an accountant, struck dumb.

SEVEN
    I t was getting late, almost nine, and Tess wanted to be off home. She knew that her sergeant did too. But one last review before they left for the day would, she hoped, help bring the case into focus. Be preparation for the morning.
    â€˜So, what do we have?’ Tess Fuller asked.
    â€˜Our victim is believed to be Mr Anthony Palmer. He was thirty-five, unmarried and works for an estate agent in Pinsent. He’s the office manager.’
    â€˜Was,’ Tess reminded her sergeant.
    â€˜Was,’ Vin agreed. ‘He’s lived at number five Church Lane, Halsingham, for about seven months. Moved up here from another office of the same estate agency. It’s one of these big, countrywide chains.’
    â€˜And the owner of the Church Lane house?’
    â€˜Is a Professor Ian Marsh. Lectures in International Relations at the local uni. He lets the place through an agency. We’ve got our local colleagues trying to locate him, but according to a neighbour he and his wife are away at a wedding and won’t be back until the middle of next week. And, no, the neighbours don’t have a contact number.’
    Helpful, Tess thought. She rubbed her eyes, suddenly exhausted. She was aware of Vinod’s gaze resting thoughtfully upon her and anticipated his next question.
    â€˜I’m fine. Just …’
    He nodded and glanced back down at his notes. ‘I thought we should do background checks on both of them,’ he said. ‘Our dead man and the professor. I’ve set that in motion.’
    â€˜Good. You talked to his colleagues? Anything?’
    â€˜No. He came in as a sort of troubleshooter. Apparently the Pinsent office wasn’t meeting its targets. He’s been here five months and sacked two members of staff, demoted another, but apparently things at the office have started to turn around.’
    â€˜But he’s not won himself any friends.’
    â€˜I don’t imagine so, no. But the upshot is, no one got to know him very well, either. No one could tell me who his friends were, outside of work. I’ve got an address book and some numbers on his mobile; Jaz is working through those now.’
    Tess nodded again, approving his choice. ‘Family?’
    â€˜Jaz thinks she’s tracked down a brother, but she’s not been able to talk to him yet.’
    â€˜Fine; let me know when she does.’ Tess frowned, drumming her fingers on the desk and wondering if she’d get to keep the case or if it would be handed on up the chain. As a relatively new DI, she’d had little experience as senior officer on something like this. Not that anything like this came along very often – she was relieved to say.
    â€˜What’s your take on it?’ she asked Vinod. ‘You saw the body.’
    He grimaced and then nodded. ‘Vicious,’ he said. ‘I mean, that goes without saying, but …’
    Tess knew what he meant. ‘They enjoyed it,’ she said, flatly. ‘It wasn’t just murder; it was … I’ve never seen anyone that’s been tortured before.’
    â€˜I’m glad to say, neither have I. What had he done that they felt justified in causing so much pain?’
    â€˜Could anything justify what they did?’ Tess asked sharply, then waved the outburst away. ‘No, I know you didn’t mean it that way. But I don’t read it that way. I’m not sure it was that personal. It was—’
    â€˜Professional?’
    â€˜No, not that, either.