‘My client has clearly stated that she had not seen Charles Foxley for a considerable time, at least a week and a half before his death,’ McDermott said evenly.

Miller was starting to enjoy himself as he leaned back in his chair. ‘I would just like Ms. Harris to clarify exactly when she last saw her ex-husband alive.’

Justine clenched her hands. ‘I had not seen him for at least a week, maybe more. And I have also told you’ – she jerked her head disdainfully towards Miller – ‘that the reason I went to the flat that awful day, and I had to witness the horror of it all, was because I had received a concerned call from his dog walker—’

‘So, just to clarify,’ Miller interrupted, ‘you are claiming that you had not seen your ex-husband for over a week before you arrived at his flat on the Tuesday, just as the police were cordoning off the scene of crime?’

‘Yes!’ she snapped.

Miller slowly passed the plastic wallet across the table so they could both see the parking ticket inside.

For the first time, McDermott looked nonplussed, while Justine looked equally bewildered.

‘Mr. McDermott,’ Miller began. ‘That is a parking ticket issued at 5:15 p.m. on the Monday. It shows Ms. Harris’s vehicle registration number and gives the parking meter location as being twenty yards from Mr. Foxley’s flat. We traced the parking meter attendant. He was unable to determine how long Ms. Harris’s vehicle had been parked there, but when he came to the meter the time had expired, so he issued a ticket. He was also unable to confirm when the vehicle was driven away.’

A muscle twitched on the side of McDermott’s jaw, as though he was gritting his teeth. ‘I asked for full disclosure of the evidence you’ve gathered, and there was no mention of this parking ticket.’

Miller smiled. ‘I’m sorry, I was not privy to the meeting as I was still making inquiries regarding this ticket. As you must realize, Mr. McDermott, this parking ticket proves without doubt that your client has lied to us.’

There was a moment of silence while McDermott considered how to respond, then Justine suddenly let out a guttural scream of rage as she hurled her body across the table and started clawing at DI Miller’s face. She managed to grab hold of his tie, dragging him towards her so he fell face-down onto the table. Still holding tightly to his tie with her left hand, she began to punch his head with her right hand, all the while screaming, ‘No! No! NO!’

Completely unnerved, McDermott was slow to react. But Tyler managed to get hold of Justine’s arm and haul her away. She attempted to bite his hand, then fell to the floor, frothing at the mouth as her legs kicked out in some sort of fit.