‘What?’ Weston seemed roused to emotion at last.

‘Do we take it you didn’t know that?’ asked Fry.

‘Nobody told us that. Shouldn’t somebody have told us?’

‘It isn’t usual,’ she said. ‘Unless there is a particular risk to the victims. In a rape case, for example, or an offence against a child. It can be quite a trauma running into a perpetrator unexpectedly in the street when you thought he was behind bars.’

‘But not in this case.’

‘It would have been thought unlikely that Sugden would return to burgle the same house.’

‘But not impossible that he might return and track down our daughter to take his revenge, presumably.’

‘Well . . .’

‘Because that’s why you’re asking, isn’t it? You must be thinking that it could have been him that killed Jenny.’

‘It isn’t as simple as that, sir,’ said Fry.

‘No?’

‘There are certain aspects to the burglary which interest us, that’s all. Am I right in thinking you were away at the time?’

‘Yes, in Cyprus,’ said Weston. ‘We go there when we can during the school holidays.’

‘And how long were you away on this occasion?’

‘A month. I had to be back to prepare for the new term then. There’s a lot of work to do before we start, you know. People don’t realize that.’

‘So you weren’t using the cottage in Ashford at the time of the burglary.’

‘No. We’d asked one of the neighbours to call in occasionally to check on things: water the plants, that sort of thing. They deliver free papers and all sorts of junk mail and just leave it sticking out of the letter box, you know. It’s a complete giveaway that the place is unoccupied.’

Fry studied the log basket in the hearth. She felt the Westons staring at her, trying to divine the direction of her questions.

‘And who reported the burglary?’

‘The people next door. They heard glass breaking. Later, they noticed the window was broken. That’s how he got in.’

‘Yes, I see.’

‘He made a terrible mess of the cottage, you know. He took a video recorder, a bit of cash and some jewellery, that’s all. But it was the damage that was the worst thing. He broke chairs, he smashed pictures, threw Tabasco sauce on the walls and the carpet. Susan wouldn’t use the cottage again until we had it redecorated and changed all the locks.’

‘There were no fingerprints,’ said Fry.

‘He must have worn gloves. Even young children know to do that these days, don’t they? But he was identified by someone who saw him near the cottage. And they said there were some fibres on his jacket from one of our armchairs. The evidence seemed conclusive.’

‘I’m afraid we have to take another look at the question of motive. The Sugden family has reason to feel very bitter towards you.’