Knowles decided that he and Barnes should arrive at Mrs Hills’ house in his Land Rover but that Mrs Danica Baker-Clements would be more impressed by Barnes’ Morgan. They drove to Scoresby station, dropped off the Morgan and then chugged over to the Hills’ house imaginatively called The Cottage.

After they knocked on the door of The Cottage there was a deep-throated “Woof, woof” from inside the house and a muffled shout from Mrs Hills, before she flung open the front door. Knowles and Barnes brandished their IDs. The smell of kippers filled their nostrils.

“Mrs Hills? I am DI Colin Knowles and this is Rod Barnes my sergeant – we’d like to talk about your grisly discovery this morning.”

“Is that your police ID, it looked more like your library card, and it’s expired – did you know that Inspector Knowles?”

“Ah, I was hoping you wouldn’t notice – I left the police ID in my other trousers at home.”

“You have another pair of trousers – I am so impressed, Inspector. Do come in and make yourself at home.” Barnes suppressed a smirk as Knowles cleared a path to the sitting room where they were offered a seat on the couch. Knowles sat down and Barnes stood behind him.

“Should Bingo be present, Inspector?” enquired Mrs Hills. “He was the one who found the body after all.”

“Bingo should be present yes, Mrs Hills – please bring him here.”

“Bingo, here boy,” shouted Mrs Hills. Bingo bounded into the room and started to eye Knowles’ shoes surreptitiously.

“What kind of dog is this?” asked Rod Barnes, watching the creature from his vantage point behind the couch.

“He’s a pure-bred retriever, Sergeant,” said Mrs Hills patting Bingo and throwing an old slipper for him to ‘retrieve’ from the hallway.

“So, Mrs Hills…”

“Oh please call me Adelaide, Inspector.”

“OK, Adelaide, can you let us know how you came to find the body?”

“It was Bingo that found the body of the Shapiro man – Bingo and I had walked along Sharrock Lane to the river and then around Doggett’s Field when we met Carly.”