‘We have an approximate time of death but, as you know, the pathologist always gives a fairly wide spectrum and believes the victim was killed in the early evening of that Monday. This could mean anywhere between five p.m. and nine p.m. I have ruled out Mandy Pilkington as a suspect because he was a regular and lucrative client for her.’

DCI Tyler stood up. ‘We still have no motive. However, I believe DCI Collins will be making inquiries into the financier Max Summers and his brother Ivor in the US.’ Tyler looked around. ‘Have we any further developments from anyone?’

Jane put up her hand just as the young DC Tony Johnson stood up.

‘I have just switched surveillance on Justine Harris’s Barnes property, sir. She is still there with her daughter Clara, her mother and George Henson. The only time Ms. Harris left the property was at three p.m. when she got into a local minicab. I left my partner and followed her to Wardour Street in the West End. She went into Paramount House, presumably to Foxley & Myers, while I remained outside the premises. She came out after three quarters of an hour and hailed a black taxi, which I subsequently followed back to the Barnes property.’

Tyler nodded. ‘Make sure those details are on the incident board.’

By ordering surveillance, it was now clear that Justine Harris had been the prime suspect.

Tyler turned towards Jane. She cleared her throat before opening her notebook.

‘I do have what I believe is new information regarding Charles Foxley’s visits to Mandy Pilkington’s establishment.’

Jane succinctly repeated everything she had been told about Foxley’s brother Thomas and how his aunt, Eunice, felt that Foxley suffered from a guilt complex that had tortured him for most of his life. Jane further explained that Eunice was uncertain whether Justine knew about Thomas.

‘However, she did hint at something else, which might be relevant. She questioned whether Clara was Charles Foxley’s daughter.’

Tyler held up his hand. ‘So did she suggest who the father was?’

‘No, but I wondered if it was possibly George Henson.’

There was a murmur from around the room – but it wasn’t because of what Jane had just said. She turned around to see everyone was looking at DS Lawrence, who held up an Evening Standard as he made his way towards the incident board. On the front page there was a photograph of Justine Harris holding her daughter’s hand with the headline: Widow of famous theatrical agent says a final goodbye.

Jane sat down. She suddenly remembered that when she had seen Justine coming into the crematorium, there had been the flash of a camera – and George Henson had been holding a camera when he walked down the aisle towards the coffin. The front-page photograph had to have been taken then because Clara had left the chapel wearing the rose-bud coronet.