Detectives failed to extract a confession from the couple in two days of heated confrontations in Portugal, and police fear their case may founder without one. If Mr Frias authorises police to conduct more interviews of the McCanns, they have said they are willing to return to the Algarve for further questioning.
This could happen within the next week or so.
Yesterday the couple spent almost seven hours in talks with their legal representatives in London, as relatives declared that they would sell their homes if necessary to fund the couple's legal fight.
The McCanns received a boost when a high-ranking police source in Portugal admitted: "We have nothing concrete."