Thompson had also had enough, though for entirely different reasons, and had he been aware of the day's major developments in the Kim Catchpole case, it would certainly have served to make the day even worse than it had already been. Shirley was still not talking properly to him, still resentful of the way he had shouted at her. The children maintained a respectful and strategic silence, observing that all was not quite right between their parents.

He was preoccupied with the murder, which to him was only natural, and could not wait to go back to question Kieron Macklin about the statement he had received from Mrs Lawrence. But the working day had to end sometime, and after a dinner punctuated only by polite requests for condiments and more dessert, he and Shirley started on the washing-up while the children began their homework.

'Ken Hargreaves called round,' she said. 'He brought an envelope for you. He was going to wait but I told him I didn't know where you were or when you would be home.'

That was tantamount to a telling-off.

'Sorry,' he mumbled, and picked up another plate.

'He said you had handed in your warrant card.'

'I hadn't, but I have now.'

'He said you had.'

'Maybe he went back to the station. I was supposed to meet him this afternoon, but he was.......'

'He said you'd handed it in this morning.'

'Yes, that's right.'

Don't go on about it, it's not important.

'So where have you been, if you're supposed to be working behind a desk at the station? I thought you came home sick yesterday. I didn’t see you leave the house this morning.'

'I thought it would be best......'

'Ken said you'd been asked to hand it in, and you did. It wasn't your idea, was it?'

'No.'

Don't keep on!

'So where have you been?' she repeated.

'Talking to a witness.'

'A witness?'

'Mrs Lawrence. She lives next door to Kerry Macklin.'

'I know Mrs Lawrence. Why were you talking to her?'

'She gave me some important information......'

She turned to face him, her face suffused with anger.

'What do you mean she gave you some important information? What has it got to do with you?' she demanded.

'I don't understand what you're getting at......'

'You know perfectly well what I'm getting at! You handed in your card! You are supposed to be back on sick leave! I don't know what you're up to and neither does Ken! Either way, you have no business talking to witnesses about the Kim Catchpole murder!'

She thrust her hands in to the washing-up water and viciously extracted another dinner plate. Thompson was at least thankful that the children were keeping a low profile.

'I was following up a lead....' he said lamely.

'You're not on the case!' Shirley said through clenched teeth.

'I can't just walk away.'

I can't just walk away................

'Why not? Either you're sick or you're not!'

'It's not that easy.'

'Isn't it? So how did you introduce yourself to Mrs Lawrence? Hallo, I'm Mike Thompson. I want to talk to you about Kim Catchpole’s murder? Is that what you said?'

'Not exactly......'

'What, then?'

'She didn't ask for any identification...............'

'So you let her assume you were on the case. Inspector Michael Thompson. Was that it?'

'Yes. But I.....'

'I've supported you all the years you've been on the force. Irregular hours, dangerous criminals, no holidays, the lot. That was when you were fit for duty. Now you're not.'

'It's not that simple......'

'It is that bloody simple! Either you're a policeman or you're not for God's sake!'

'I don't see why you're so upset......'

'You don't? I'll tell you why, I've just told you why. If you're on the force, that's all right, I know what to expect, I know not to expect you at normal times, because something has cropped up and you're working late, you're out on a case, you're nowhere to be found. When you were on sick leave a few days ago I knew where to find you. I knew when you would be home, and what you were doing. Now I don't know whether you're living here or not. You have no right to do this to me! You have no right!'

Don't push it, Shirley....

'I can't just walk away from a case like this... Christ! It could have been Sally!'

'So why did you hand in your warrant card? Ken said Wilson wanted you on the case and you refused. You said you were leaving, you handed in your warrant card. If you're not fit, this case is nothing to do with you. Nothing! Do you hear me?'

'I hear you. It makes no difference. There are still some things I can do.'

'No! There are some things you can let Ken and the others do! You do not carry on when you've been ordered to stay behind the desk!'

'You know what I went through in Sharringford.....'

She laughed bitterly.

'I knew it wouldn't be long before we got round to Sharringford again! I don’t know what you went through in Sharringford, you never told me! You never told anybody what happened in Sharringford! Don't start blaming everything on Sharringford again!'

'I know this isn't making much sense.....I can't work full time on the force any more. I can't explain it, it's something to do with Sharringford but I can't explain why.....I just can't work as a copper any more.....I need some space.....'

Space is what you are going to get....

'But I can't abandon Kim Catchpole. I have to ask some more questions - I have to carry on, there is still some work I can do.....I can't just sit there all day.....'

'So what are you going to do? Set yourself up as a private investigator? Don't make me laugh!'

'We have to find Clitheroe. He might kill again.'

'Clitheroe?'

'Donald Clitheroe. He killed Kim Catchpole. We have to find him before he kills another girl.....'

Again she turned to face him, and this time there was a look on her face he had not seen before, a look he did not like, or understand.

'You think Donald Clitheroe killed Kim Catchpole?' she said, her hands on her hips, washing-up water dripping onto the kitchen floor.

'I know he did. I happen to know that it could not have been anyone else. I know that because he killed several girls thirteen or more years ago in exactly the same way. And he repeated something on Kim Catchpole that only two people know about - me and him. It was definitely Donald Clitheroe. It couldn't have been anyone else. It just isn't possible.'

Shirley turned back to the sink and fished out the final item of cutlery, threw it viciously into the draining rack.

'Well I'll let you in on a little secret, shall I, Mr Clever? Donald Clitheroe did not kill Kim Catchpole!'

'What are you talking about?'

'Two detectives found Donald Clitheroe this afternoon.'

'So?'

'He was dead. Murdered himself.'

'Murdered himself.'

'He was himself murdered.'

'Doesn't mean he didn't kill Karen......'

'He was murdered before she was.'

No, that isn't possible.....

'What are you saying?'

That isn't possible.....

'Donald Clitheroe was murdered Sunday night. Kim Catchpole was murdered Monday morning. There were a few hours between the two murders, but Ken said Clitheroe definitely could not have murdered Kim Catchpole.'

Not true.....

Not true.....

Shirley Thompson turned to see her husband hit the floor with a resounding thump as his legs gave way. The plate he had been holding had smashed into four almost equal pieces. His eyes fluttered open, then shut.