‘Yes, sir,’ she said, then read from her notebook, ‘Niall Paternoster was in a corner booth with Rebecca Watkins. They were sitting intimately close, eating lunch. He raised his glass of beer and clinked her wine glass and said, “To the future!” Rebecca corrected him, “To our future”. Niall then repeated the toast. “To our future”.’

She glanced at her notebook. ‘Next, Rebecca asked, “How’s your week looking?” Niall replied, “Pretty dull – so long as I’m not rearrested for my beloved wife’s non-murder. Otherwise I’m free all week. Do you have something in mind?”

‘Rebecca Watkins was acting in a very provocative manner, arousing him discreetly with one hand. She then told him she had her firm’s annual sales conference in Eastbourne this coming week and that her husband would not be attending because he was away. She said she had to make a presentation on Thursday afternoon, then put in an appearance at dinner, but suggested they have a rendezvous afterwards. Subject suggested her hotel room, but Watkins dismissed that, saying she would have too many work people around. She suggested she would find somewhere and text him – she didn’t say what time precisely but suggested it would be around midnight. She said she could put the seats in her Range Rover flat and suggested Niall bring along some Prosecco and two glasses.’

Potting grinned. ‘A cosy little mobile love nest!’

‘Speaks a man from experience,’ Velvet Wilde retorted.

‘Nice work, Sharon,’ Grace said. ‘Right, today’s information – and revelations – about Rebecca Watkins are a significant development for our investigation. Let’s review where we’re at. Niall Paternoster reports his wife missing after allegedly dropping her off at Tesco Holmbush on Sunday September the first. We subsequently became suspicious of his story and he was arrested. The search of the Paternosters’ home provides strong evidence he may have murdered his wife.’

He glanced down at his notes. ‘Digital examination adds weight to this from analysis of his phone and computer, showing he appears to have lied about his and Eden’s whereabouts on that Sunday. Further, from tracking his movements on his phone and on his car’s computer, we find a shallow grave in Ashdown Forest, as well as the potential murder weapon. Niall’s movements indicated he may have deposited some body parts in that grave and others off the end of the east mole of Shoreham harbour. Under questioning following his arrest, Paternoster denies everything vigorously. We release him, having insufficient evidence to charge him at this stage, but put him under surveillance while we continue our investigation.’

He took a sip of water. ‘The Surveillance Team follow him to a rendezvous with Rebecca Watkins at the Devil’s Dyke parking area. They appear to be lovers. This is the same destination that, according to digital comparison, Niall visited on Sunday September the first, just two hours after – according to his story – his wife had gone missing. I suspect that we will be able to tally the phone records with the check on Watkins’s Range Rover Evoque’s computer that she was there at the same time as she alluded to in interview.’