These included a visit to the dustbins, a step which Stephens regarded as de rigueur: Gently, with a better appreciation of Hansom, expected small profit from this piece of routine. He had, moreover, used the car park in the past, and so was familiar with the general layout. More important for him, in the initial stages, were the things with which his mind’s eye was unable to help him. ‘I think I’ll take a look at the husband! Perhaps you’d like to go back to HQ?’ ‘Whatever you say, sir. But shouldn’t we, to start with—?’ ‘I’ll leave that to you, then we won’t be duplicating our efforts.’ Stephens, as he had intended, was mildly complimented by this, but a little to Gently’s surprise the young man preferred to tag along with his senior. ‘The husband, after all, is the number one suspect …’ It went without saying that Stephens was a graduate from Ryton. He was a product of the new policy for catching promising material young.
