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woman, decisive, in control, her finger on every detail of what was going on around her at work, but in spite of what he had said, he knew that she was also better than he was at standing back andgiving other people responsibility. She did not, in fact, find it hard to delegate. She knew it was vital or a force would never survive. Nevertheless, she always wanted to be kept in every loop and Simon could imagine how frustrating an enforced convalescence was for her. They had always got on well, but sitting opposite her in the quiet sitting room, he saw her for the first time as a middle-agedwoman and twice-married mother of adult sons, who might be a neighbour, his sister’s patient, his stepmother’s friend. Not the Chief. Not a police officer at all. Somehow, he needed to start all over again, discover what kind of person this was.
    They ate a kitchen supper of fish pie and French beans and a plate of excellent cheeses, bought, Malcolm Innes said, from the Deli in the Lanes.
    ‘Ilove my cheese,’ he said, ‘and I don’t want to see that nice little shop close. I go there a lot.’
    ‘The shops on the Lanes were hit badly by the storm – most of them flooded out. A friend of my stepmother’s was due to open a new bookshop there and she’s had to postpone it; the clock shop lost a lot of valuable stock. Is that a goat’s cheese?’
    Malcolm pointed out each one, describing, recommending.When they had finished eating he gave Paula his arm back into the sitting room, saying he would clear up and bring coffee through.
    ‘Harriet Lowther,’ she said.
    He waited.
    ‘It’s some sort of resolution, I suppose.’
    ‘Yes, in a way. Her father thinks so. But …’
    ‘Too many unanswered questions. What are your thoughts?’
    ‘I don’t know if I have many yet. She was murdered and buried in a grave onthe Moor, by a person or persons unknown. I’ve taken all the files home. Maybe they’ll yield something. I’ll know more when I’ve gone through the lot. But after sixteen years? Long time.’ He hesitated. ‘The second skeleton complicates the picture considerably of course.’
    Simon knew what he wanted to say. But he also knew it would be unprofessional and unfair. Yet he felt frustrated, his handstied and a job not being properly done.
    ‘What will it take?’
    She knew. He knew.
    He shrugged but remained silent.
    ‘My name’s still on the door, Simon. Tell me.’
    ‘I need a team. Not necessarily a big team but I’ve got to have a couple of people working on this. Especially on the second body. I’m not going to let that gather dust in a file because of Harriet, though obviously Harriet takes precedence.’

    ‘Has Brian formally authorised the case to be reopened and a new investigation for the second murder?’
    ‘Yes.’
    ‘Leave the rest with me. But you won’t get as many bods as you should have.’
    ‘Understood.’
    Malcolm brought in the coffee and the conversation moved away from police business. But as Simon stood up to leave, the Chief said, ‘I wonder if you could do me a small favour? It would get meout of a spot.’
    Payback then.
    ‘Of course.’
    ‘The Lord Lieutenant is giving a dinner on Tuesday. It’s in the castle and I’d accepted of course, but I’m really not up to this sort of formal do yet. Would you go in my place? Brian can’t, he’s got an ACPO meeting in London, and there isn’t anyone else senior enough. Are you free?’
    He was free.
    ‘Will I need a partner?’
    ‘The invitation is for two,yes.’
    ‘Fine. It will be a pleasure.’
    The Chief gave him a sharp look.

Eleven
    HARRIET LOWTHER HAD been at a school twelve miles from Lafferton. She was popular and hard-working but not an academic high-flyer, played tennis for the school and at a local club where she was rated higher than average. She also played the piano very well and had lessons at school. She was near-sighted and wore glasses for reading the blackboard. She had recently had a brace fitted