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Liam Carrington, slumped in a chair, didn’t acknowledge Robyn’s entrance.

‘Mr Carrington,’ she said.

He ignored her.

‘We can make this a lot easier if you’d just cooperate with us. I’m going to ask a series of questions and you’re not obliged to answer them, but it would assist our enquiries if you did. Do you understand?’

Carrington finally looked up.

‘On the morning of February the fourteenth you were at home with your daughter, Astra. Is that correct?’ She waited for a response, and when she got none, she spoke more loudly. ‘Is that correct?’

His answer was little more than a mumble. ‘Yeah.’

‘And you did not at any time that morning speak to or see Henry Gregson?’

‘No.’

‘Did he visit your house?’

‘No.’

Robyn sat back. ‘I think he might have done. I think he called to visit you soon after Ella left.’

Carrington twitched momentarily. It was all Robyn needed. She homed in on it.

‘I think he wanted to discuss something with you. Did he, Mr Carrington?’

He looked down at his hands. Robyn wasn’t going to let him off the hook now she had him.

‘Henry Gregson was spotted, you see? We have a witness who saw him. Now, you can tell me the truth or I can find it out anyway. It’ll be better for you in the long run if you tell me what you know. After all, you have your daughter Astra to consider in all of this.’

His Adam’s apple rose and fell but he remained silent.

‘Okay, let’s try this scenario. Henry came to visit you and you argued about something. He left, and you became even madder about what had happened. You asked Ella to come home to look after Astra, then you arranged to meet Henry on Cannock Chase, where you murdered him in cold blood. Is that what happened?’

He shook his head. ‘No,’ he said, quietly.

‘I can very easily obtain a warrant to search your house. We’ll search your phones and computers and we’ll get to the bottom of this, so it would be a lot easier if you just come clean now.’ She waited for a response, and when none was forthcoming, she continued.

‘Did you ask Ella to cover for you? Say you were there when you weren’t?’

‘No.’

‘But she would if you asked her, wouldn’t she? She’d look after you and make sure you had an alibi. After all, blood is thicker than water.’

He hissed quietly through his teeth and then stopped and resumed his sullen expression. ‘Okay, I asked her to stretch the truth. I knew you’d suspect me if my alibi wasn’t tight enough, but I honestly didn’t kill Henry. I loved that man. I really did. I’m not the easiest person to get along with and I don’t find it easy to make friends. Henry was solid. He was my friend.’ His eyes filled and he bent forwards, head in his hands.

Robyn was rattled for a moment. The man was genuinely upset. The silvery tears trickled down his face. He wiped them with his sleeve, and she allowed him a few seconds to collect himself before speaking again. She wasn’t going to be swayed by this emotional outburst. ‘Ella’s your sister, isn’t she? I wonder if anyone knew that. Maybe Henry discovered your secret.’

He shook his head slowly from side to side, sniffing back tears.

‘Did he, Mr Carrington? Did Henry find out Ella was your sister and threaten to tell everyone?’

‘You’re so wrong,’ he said, quietly, before drawing himself back upright in his seat.

Robyn puffed out her cheeks. ‘Well, then maybe you could explain what mysterious secret Henry was keeping. We believe he was texting his killer and threatening to expose them just before he was shot. Whoever committed this crime had a secret so big it was worth killing for.’

He crossed his arms, fidgeted and stared at his feet.

‘Did you agree to steal a winning lottery ticket from two MiniMarkt customers?’

Liam remained silent.

‘Juliet Fallows told us about the ticket. It’s pointless to remain silent. Did Henry find out about the theft and threaten to shop you all?’

Again, she was met with silence.

‘Did you go to Cannock Chase on February the fourteenth, Mr Carrington?’

‘No. I didn’t. I was in Yoxall all day.’

‘I think, at this point, I should ask you again if you would like a lawyer to be present. I understand you refused one earlier. Would you like a lawyer, Mr Carrington?’

‘Yes.’

‘Let it be noted for the tape that we’re pausing this interview until Mr Carrington has spoken to a legal representative.’

She rose without further comment. Liam Carrington remained in his seat, head hung to his chest.

As soon as the door was shut, she spoke to Mitz.

‘What do you reckon?’

They walked back to the office.

‘He’s guilty of theft and deception, but I can’t be sure he’s guilty of murdering Henry Gregson.’

Her lips pulled into a grimace. ‘I got that same feeling. I wish I had something concrete on him. I hope we can get more out of Ella Fox. I’m flying by the seat of my pants here. If one of them doesn’t crack soon and confess, I’ll be stuffed. There’s insufficient evidence at the moment to convict him of murder.’

Ella was brought into the room next.

‘I’m saying nothing without a solicitor so don’t bother asking me anything,’ she said, looking Robyn directly in the eye.

‘We only want to ask you a few questions, Ella,’ Robyn said.

She was met with stony silence.

‘We understand Henry visited Liam the day he died, while you were out.’

Ella fixed her eyes on a spot above Robyn’s head.

‘We also believe Liam wasn’t at home when you returned at two and that you lied for him.’

There was no flicker of acknowledgement.

‘It would be quite understandable for a sister to protect her brother.’

Ella’s face gave nothing away. She wasn’t going to speak. Robyn tried more questions but was met with the same response. She ended the interview and had Ella taken away until her solicitor arrived. She rubbed her forehead and sighed heavily.

David tapped on the door and entered. ‘The receptionist at the Tamworth clinic claimed Juliet went into work first thing but left mid-morning because she didn’t feel well. She isn’t answering her mobile. I sent a unit round to her house.’

Robyn put her hands on her hips. ‘Oh, for fuck’s sake. So we’ve lost Roger Jenkinson and now Juliet. What the hell is going on?’

‘They could be in on this together,’ said David with a helpless shrug.

‘Or both dead. Either way, I’ve made a complete bollocks of this case. Liam Carrington and Ella Fox are being completely uncooperative at the moment too. Can this get any worse?’ Robyn resisted the urge to scream in frustration. She’d been in difficult situations before. She had to be logical, that’s what Davies would have told her. She attempted to calm her heart rate with some deep breaths.

‘Right, here’s what we’ll do. First, get a search warrant for Liam and Ella’s house. Next, track down Roger and Juliet. If Juliet’s involved in any of the murders, it means her claim that they stole the lottery ticket is a lie too. We’ll stick to the facts we have and see if we can make anything stick. Right. Let’s get going. Time isn’t on our side.’