Among the records was a photograph taken in Hong Kong in 2000.
Mercer stood outside a building after a seminar. Beside him was a younger man, turned towards him as they spoke.
Eleanor leaned closer.
"Michael Vale."
"Yes."
"Was he attending the seminar?"
"Not according to the delegate list."
"What was he doing there?"
"A visiting group of British ringers was in Hong Kong at the time. Michael was among them."
Mercer had a hand on Michael's shoulder. They appeared comfortable together.
"Martin didn't know they'd met," Eleanor said.
"No."
"That doesn't look like an introduction."
"We'll check what we can."
She continued examining the picture.
Bernard Hatherley stood farther back.
And at the edge, partly obscured by another person, was a woman.
Relf drew the photograph towards him.
"We need to show the Hatherleys."
Bernard recognised Mercer at once.
"David."
"You knew him by that name?" Relf asked.
"By then, yes."
"What did you call him before?"
"Ben."
"The man you identified as Benjamin Hale."
"Yes."
"Did you know that surname yourself?"
Hatherley removed his spectacles.
"Adrian used it. When you showed me the older photograph, I gave you the name Adrian had used."
"You didn't tell us you'd also known him as David Mercer."
"No."
"Why?"
Hatherley looked at the photograph again.
"When I first met him in Hong Kong, everyone called him Ben. Years later, he was introduced to me as David Mercer."
"In 2000?"
"Yes."
"You recognised him?"
"Of course."
"Did you ask about the name?"
"Yes."
"What did he say?"
Hatherley gave a faint smile.
"That after a lifetime in maritime law, I should have learnt not to ask what was inside every container."
"And you accepted that?"
"I knew he didn't intend to explain."
"Did you know he had worked for British Customs?"
"By then."
"And that he was advising Customs in Hong Kong?"
"Yes."
Relf waited before speaking again.
"When we asked you about Ben, you could have given us another name, an employer and a date."
"I should have."
"Instead you gave us a false connection to Dr Harcourt's family."
Hatherley put his spectacles on the table.
"Yes."
Eleanor watched him.
"Are there any more names you haven't mentioned?"
"None I knew him by."
Claire entered carrying tea.
She saw the photograph before reaching the table and stopped.
"Where did you get that?"
Relf moved the papers aside so she could put down the tray.
"Who do you recognise?"
Claire pointed to the woman at the edge.
"Margaret."
"Margaret Sayer?"
"Yes."
"You knew her in Hong Kong?"
"We rang together."
"When?"
"Late nineties."
"Did she live there?"
"For years."
"What work did she do?"
"Banking."
Eleanor looked from Sayer to Hatherley, then back to Mercer and Michael.
The photograph placed them together without explaining what any of them had known. But the connections were no longer dependent on Hale's account alone.
Relf asked Claire to identify everyone else she recognised.
She pulled up a chair.