In the interview room, Exton said, ‘Last night we told you about the evidence we have discovered that suggests you may have harmed your wife. A central part of your explanation was your visit to Tesco for cat litter, but we now know you didn’t need any cat litter. Further, and perhaps more significantly, nobody in Tesco saw your wife there to corroborate your story. We have now made you aware that we know about your contact that same afternoon with an unknown person. Why don’t you tell us the truth?’

‘No comment,’ Niall said flatly. ‘I’m not answering any more of your questions.’

Rattigan said to the detectives, ‘Gentlemen, it is now 8.40 a.m. You have until 9.45 a.m. to either charge or release my client.’

‘Thank you,’ Norman Potting replied politely. ‘We have until 9.47 a.m., actually, but let’s not split hairs. Interview terminated at 8.40 a.m.’ He reached forward.

The monitor went blank and silent.

62

Wednesday 4 September

In the observation cubicle, Glenn Branson asked, ‘How are you reading Paternoster’s body language?’

‘Extremely uncomfortable,’ Roy Grace replied. ‘You?’

‘Copy, boss.’

Grace smiled. ‘You’ve been watching too much American TV.’

‘Would you rather I said “well dodgy”?’

Grace smiled thinly, then fell silent.

After some moments, Branson said, ‘So, what do we think?’

There was no reply.

He glanced round. Grace was crying.

Branson waited patiently in silence.

After a couple of minutes, Grace sniffed, wiped his eyes with his handkerchief and apologized.

‘You don’t have to apologize for anything. I wish I could do something, say something. I can’t begin to think what you’re going through – I can feel some of your pain, but not the enormity of what you’re facing.’

‘What would you do?’

‘Me?’

‘Yes, in my situation. Hang on for a miracle, which isn’t going to happen, if the medics are right? Give him the dignity of keeping his body intact for his funeral? Or—’ He fell silent again.

‘Or donate his organs?’ Branson prompted.

‘Yes.’

Branson took a few moments before replying. ‘If we’re dismissing the possibility of his ever recovering?’

‘We are.’

He nodded. ‘You’ve already said that the longer you leave it to make a decision, the more likely it is that some of the major organs won’t be viable for donation, if I understood it?’

‘Yes, correct.’

‘OK, well, once someone’s dead, their soul – if we have one – departs elsewhere, leaving behind an empty shell. That’s how I see it. The shell just rots away. If you could have the knowledge that his death has helped some others to live, and some others to have a better quality of life, wouldn’t that at least make some small sense of what’s happened – and give you and Cleo the knowledge that you’ve done a good thing?’

Grace gave a slight smile which was layered with sadness. ‘I appreciate it, you’re pretty much echoing what Cleo said to me earlier. Yes, you’re right.’

‘But, ultimately, it’s only you and Cleo who can make the decision, and it has to feel right.’