Geraldine shook her head. ‘I’m afraid you can’t see him just yet.’ She hesitated. ‘We need to find out what happened. The doctor should be with him now, and then we’ll have to examine the scene, and depending on what we find, there may be a case for further investigation. But we’ll keep you fully informed at every stage –’

‘I want to see him. He’s my husband. Where is he?’

‘Very well, but please try not to disturb him.’

‘Disturb him? What do you mean, disturb him? You just told me he’s dead.’

Geraldine hesitated. ‘Anne, I know this must be very difficult for you to hear, but we know your husband was recently the victim of several attacks, probably politically motivated. We have to explore the possibility that his death may not have been due to natural causes.’

Anne’s eyes widened in alarm. ‘What are you talking about?’

‘You showed us an anonymous letter threatening his life. Have you given any thought to who might have sent it?’

Anne’s features twisted in dismay. ‘How should I know? I’d like to help but – where is he?’ she burst out. ‘I want to see him. I want to see David. Where is he?’

Geraldine stepped back and gestured to Anne to join her outside. There was no need to lead her down the drive. The medical examiner had completed her examination and the assessment team were conducting their preliminary review of the scene. Before anyone could confirm that the team suspected David might have been murdered, Geraldine saw that a common approach path had been established, and the area around the body was already cordoned off. A sergeant was on the phone, talking rapidly. Finishing his call, he walked over to Geraldine and brought her up to speed with what was happening. He told her there was nothing yet to suggest that David had died from anything other than natural causes. However, in view of the recent hate mail he had received, and the verbal and other threats to which he had been subjected, Eileen had insisted on scene of crime officers examining the site and a post mortem, before the body was released for burial.

In the few moments while Geraldine was listening to her colleague, she lost sight of Anne. Turning away from the constable, at first she thought Anne must have gone back inside the house, but then she caught sight of her, kneeling on the ground beside the body. Geraldine went over to her.

‘Anne,’ she said softly, ‘I’m sorry, but you need to come away from there.’

Weeping uncontrollably, Anne allowed Geraldine to help her up and accompany her back to the house where they sat down facing one another.

‘Would you like me to call someone?’ Geraldine asked.

Anne had stopped crying. Now she looked up, and stared around as though dazed. ‘Call someone?’ she repeated blankly. ‘Who should we call?’