Maggie and Nathan followed her into Room 5, which was eleven metres square, the same size as the average double bedroom. Desks were pushed up against the walls so everyone would be working with their backs to each other.

‘It’s not that bad,’ said Renshaw, catching the looks on their faces. ‘Once we get the board up it’ll feel like we’re getting somewhere. Then I’ll brief everyone on what the CPS said.’

Maggie frowned. Renshaw had a tendency while in charge to keep back the best intel until briefings, so she could deliver it with a theatrical ‘ta-da!’ rather than sharing it as and when it came in, which would be more helpful to the team slogging away under her.

‘Just tell us now,’ said Maggie wearily.

‘Okay, they’ve said that because the caretaker’s account has changed we need to find cast-iron evidence of Poppy pushing Benji before we can even think about charging her,’ said Renshaw darkly. ‘And right now we’ve got sod all in that department.’

‘He’s changed his story?’ queried Maggie.

‘Yep. Donnelly’s saying Benji slipped and he denies telling PC Talbot that Poppy was to blame. We pressed him on it and he’s sticking to the version that the fall was an accident.’

‘Could Talbot have been mistaken? I saw him at the scene and he was in a bit of a state. Maybe he misheard him,’ said Maggie.

‘Yeah, I thought that too, but I’ve spoken to him again and he’s certain that’s what Donnelly said.’

‘What’s Mal’s take?’ asked Maggie.

‘His prelim report says Benji landed with force, like he was propelled to the ground, but that could also be because he was small and slight and went down harder. It doesn’t necessarily translate as him being helped on his way,’ said Renshaw.

‘Benji’s mum says he was risk averse and wouldn’t try anything remotely scary,’ said Maggie. ‘She’s certain it wouldn’t have been his idea to climb the wall.’

Renshaw was thoughtful for a moment.

‘Let’s just say it was an accident and he slipped,’ she said. ‘If we can prove Poppy coerced him into climbing onto the wall, and that led to him dying, we could go after an involuntary manslaughter charge for death caused by reckless behaviour.’

‘You’d really be happy to prosecute an eleven-year-old for that?’ Maggie asked. ‘She should be blamed for him slipping?’

‘If Poppy’s reckless actions caused Benji’s death she should be held accountable regardless of her age,’ said Renshaw. ‘No?’