‘Would you feel any guilt if he had committed suicide?’

‘Why should I feel guilt?’

‘It was you who diagnosed him with cancer. If he received the same approach from you as I did this morning, then I would think it very unlikely that he even had cancer in the first place.’

‘That again is speculation. And probably slander. I don’t deny that I diagnosed cancer in Bill Shefford. I stand by that diagnosis. And since he has now been cremated, there is no way of proving whether or not he did have the disease.’

‘But you signed the death certificate that allowed him to be cremated.’

‘That is normal medical practice. In a case of unexpected death, if the deceased has not seen a doctor in the previous fortnight, there has to be a post mortem. I had seen Bill Shefford in the fortnight before his death, because I was treating him for cancer. His family had no wish to involve the police or set up any form of enquiry. It was therefore entirely legitimate for me to sign the death certificate.’

Jude should have anticipated that Dr Rawley would have all of his arguments so neatly in a row. She was beginning to feel as though she was on the back foot. She tried again. ‘After you’d diagnosed the cancer, do you deny that you put Bill Shefford on a course of treatment with Jeremiah?’

‘No, of course I don’t deny it. And are you criticizing me for that? Ooh, be very careful, Jude. You’re on dangerous ground here, aren’t you? Are you saying that Jeremiah’s a charlatan? It’s a very small step from that to saying that all healers are charlatans, nothing more than snake-oil salesmen. And then you wouldn’t be exactly backing up your own so-called profession, would you?’

For a moment, Jude ran out of steam. Jeremiah took the opportunity to join the conversation. ‘You said you had in your possession a diary written by Bill Shefford …’

‘Yes, I do.’

‘In which he writes down all of his thoughts about his cancer and its treatment …?’

‘Yes,’ she lied.

Jeremiah looked back at his senior partner and the doctor took over the reins again. ‘I think you’d better give us that diary, Jude. If you do that, then we’ll be prepared to forget all about this whole business … your making false accusations against us, the risk of slander. I think we’re offering you a good deal, Jude.’

‘You are in no position to be offering me a deal of any kind!’ Driven by sheer anger, Jude’s energy was returning. ‘I’m innocent in all of this. You’re the ones who caused the death of an innocent man and destroyed a happy marriage!’

Infuriatingly, Dr Rawley wagged a finger at her. ‘Now be careful. That definitely is slander!’