His father stopped suddenly in the road. What had Perez been expecting? Bluster and denial? A plausible explanation, which would make him seem ridiculous? Certainly not this stillness. He stopped too, waited for a moment for some response, then looked into the man’s face. James was struggling to compose himself. There was no sign now of the fluent preacher, the spiritual leader of the island. James could find nothing to say.

Perez waited. All his life he’d been scared of this man and now his father was stuttering like a child caught in some petty mischief.

‘You were having an affair,’ Perez said at last.

‘No!’

‘You slept with her.’

‘Once,’ James said, his voice high-pitched with stress. Then, more controlled: ‘Yes, I slept with her once, but there was no sort of relationship.’

‘You gave her presents. Jewellery.’

‘I fancied myself in love with her.’ The man paused. ‘But it was lust. I see that now.’ He began walking very quickly down the road. Perez followed until they were marching in step.

‘And what did my mother make of that? She was happy, was she, that it was only lust?’

James stopped abruptly. ‘You have no right to pry into another man’s marriage.’

‘I have every right!’ Perez realized he was yelling so loudly that the back of his throat hurt. ‘I’m investigating a murder and you’re a witness. You’ve corrupted a crime scene!’

‘Always the detective, aren’t you, Jimmy? Can’t you leave the police out of this for once?’

They stood for a moment, staring at each other, the hostility sparking between them.

‘All right then,’ Perez said eventually. ‘Let’s leave the investigation out of it. For a while at least. Let’s keep it personal. All my life you’ve given me the morality lecture, the guilt trip. Tell me how you justify sleeping with another woman. How can you live with yourself after that?’

‘With my head I knew it was a shameful, stupid thing, but it was that woman.’

‘So you’re blaming her? She forced you to have sex with her, did she?’ Perez felt the anger returning. He couldn’t bear to see his father so cowed, so pathetic. The least he could do was take responsibility for what had happened.

‘It was after a do at the North Light,’ James said. ‘About this time last year after all the visitors had left. A bit of a party, music. Jane put on a magnificent spread – a real sit-down supper. It was to thank the island for its support over the season. Angela claimed it was her idea, but I think Jane and Maurice hatched it up between them.’

‘Go on.’

‘There were a few drams before the meal and wine with it. I’m not really used to wine.’

Perez said nothing. Let his father make his excuses.