He didn't make it up as we know the Smith family statements are real, but why will there be a day of reckoning? British police don't have to explain themselves, unless Parliament requests it. Will the press bother asking questions? It doesn't look like it at the moment.
By a day of reckoning, I don't mean a formal process of any kind.
I mean that there will come a time when Scotland Yard's investigation will be brought to a conclusion - whatever that may mean - and at that point, people will expect some sort of explanation as to why the investigation has ended at that point and what has been done with resources hitherto.
I cannot imagine their being no public discussion on the costs and findings of this case after the fact. There has been so much interest and discussion hitherto, it is hard to imagine it all coming to an abrupt halt just because Scotland Yard bow out.
In the event of Scotland Yard presenting any conclusive findings, that will beg questions of all types.