For a second she thought he was about to roll his eyes but he caught himself.

‘Fine. I’m sorry. Chalk it up as my first mistake. I’ll know for next time.’

Bristling with anger, Maggie let him go. Then she took a deep breath and returned to the lounge. Fortunately for her and Byford, the Tylers were too distracted to have noticed anything amiss.

She sat down on the easy chair opposite the sofa where they were sitting.

‘If you feel up to answering, I’d like to talk more about Benji,’ she said.

‘Yes, whatever you need to know,’ said Ed, taking his sister’s hand. ‘We want to help.’

Staying gentle in her approach, Maggie eased Imogen through the history of her and Benji moving back to Mansell and him starting at Rushbrooke.

‘The first couple of weeks were tough but he’s settled in well,’ said Imogen. ‘The teacher told me he’s been keeping up in class.’

‘Aside from Poppy, who I’ll come back to, had he made friends at school?’ Maggie asked.

‘There’s one boy called Imtiaz that he talks about all the time. Really bright child, top of the class, but shy, like Benji. I think that’s why they’ve hit it off. They don’t see each other out of school though. I’ve tried to arrange stuff but his mum’s not very receptive. He’s on the list you asked for, along with a few others,’ she added.

‘I know you said this morning that Benji hadn’t mentioned the fight between him and Poppy, but had he talked about any other issues with her?’

‘They’re a lot like siblings – one minute they get on, the next they’re bickering. He was upset a few weeks ago when she called him “butt breath” in front of the class but I told Ewan and he made her apologize,’ said Imogen. ‘After that they were fine again, or at least I thought they were.’

‘Did they have their play dates here? Sorry, I know that’s not what they are when children are eleven, but I can’t think what else to call them.’

Imogen frowned thoughtfully. ‘Yes, now you come to mention it. But Ewan did say Poppy’s little brother always got in the way when she had friends over, so maybe that’s why she preferred coming here.’

‘How often did she come round?’

‘Um, I’d say every other week. Usually on a Tuesday because neither of them had activities after school that day.’

‘It was always her dad who facilitated the play dates, never her mum?’

Grace made a scoffing sound.

‘Mum, be quiet,’ Imogen hissed.

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, just tell her,’ said Grace. ‘It might be relevant. Ed agrees, don’t you, Ed?’

He nodded, much to Imogen’s annoyance.

‘Tell me what?’ asked Maggie.