10.31 Nearly an hour later Faraday was summoned to Martin Barrie’s office. He knew already that Willard had driven down from Winchester and was aware that DCI Parsons had called a management review meeting for midday. As the Danny Cooper murder appeared to be folding neatly into Mandolin, he wondered who’d be shuffling the cards in the pack when it came to Martin Barrie’s return. The Detective Superintendent in charge of the Major Crime Team was back from a fortnight in Minehead on Monday and it was inconceivable that he wouldn’t play a major role in what was now a triple homicide. Parsons clearly shared this thought. Faraday could feel the tension in the office as he stepped in from the corridor. The big conference table could seat eight with ease. With just three of them there was nowhere to hide. As a courtesy on these occasions Willard ceded control of the meeting to Parsons. Her turf, her call. She had a modest pile of paperwork at her elbow and on top Faraday recognised a plan of the Salcombe Avenue area that must have been drawn up by Scenes of Crime.
