The interview with the so-called Grand Master must be over. Danutia had been excluded. “Sorry luv,” Kevin had said, nodding towards Inspector Royce’s office. “Orders.” She’d tried again to reach Arthur—she’d phoned from the hospital while waiting for their suspect to be rehydrated—then dropped into the closest chair, dirt and all, muscles aching from her belly crawl through the tunnel. She must have dozed off. “Any leads on Stephen?” she asked, though the answer was plain in Kevin’s tired eyes and unsmiling face. Kevin shook his head and dropped into the seat beside her. “At first the bastard denied everything. Royce pointed out that things looked bad for him, what with him having stolen goods in his possession. Then he changed his tune. He admitted that Eric had arranged a meeting, but said Stephen never showed up. So he skulked around the village and overheard people talking about Stephen going missing, and figured he’d better lie low.
