CHAPTER 68

‘Every police station has a spare computer, but if I want a new kettle I have to buy it myself,’ Seb had complained as he pulled the laptop from a cupboard. He and Barb now watched a virtual disk spin on its screen as Joe’s backup regurgitated its contents.

Eventually, a message. ‘Download complete!’ Even the computer was excited.

‘So now we listen to everything again, to see what’s missing,’ said Barb.

‘It’s simpler than that,’ replied Seb. ‘We just look at the length of each interview on the backup and compare it to the same interview on his laptop. `If they’re the same length, the interviews are the same. If they’re different lengths, something has changed. Then we listen to the longer backup version, and work out what bits were deleted.’ He paused, glancing at Barb. ‘You’re looking confused. Or is it overwhelmed? Okay, you discovered this, so I’m going to do the comparing. I’ll text you when I know something. You go and have a nice walk or something.’

‘Are you sure?’ Barb asked.

‘Yes. I’ll need some quiet time, so if you see anyone approaching the station, tell them I’m in Woy Woy at a siege. Unless Frieda’s lost her cat again. That’s a genuine emergency.’