‘I never did. They did men’s things together. I didn’t like going to the golf club much. It wasn’t for me.’

‘The manager at the club mentioned that Dennis had been involved in the scouts. Is that true?’

‘Oh yes. He’d loved it. But that was many years ago now. He stopped volunteering in the late nineties. It was taking up too much of his spare time, he said.’

‘Was Andrew ever a scout?’

‘We tried.’ Veronica let out a long sigh. ‘But he didn’t like it. He never participated so we gave up making him go. It was a shame. I think it would have done him some good.’

‘I see,’ said Palmer furiously writing notes.

‘Can you tell me which scout troop your husband led?’

‘Cambridge, I think. They used to meet once a week at a hall in Chesterton. Occasionally they’d do trips.’

‘What sort of trips?’

‘Oh, you know, camping, fishing, that sort of thing.’

Palmer stopped dead in his tracks.

‘Fishing?’

‘Yes. Lots of outdoorsy stuff. Songs round the campfire, canoeing, building dens. The children loved it.’

‘So why did Dennis stop then?’

‘Well…’ Veronica paused for a moment and started to pick a piece of loose cotton from the quilt. ‘There was an accident.’

Palmer kept quiet, giving her time to tell the story.

‘One of the boys, he… he died.’ It was something she hadn’t thought about for a long time.

‘How?’ Palmer encouraged.

‘It was so sad. Dennis was distraught,’ she said. ‘He’d been a member of Dennis’s group for a few years. One day his parents came home from work and found him.’ She swallowed hard. ‘The boy had killed himself.’

‘When was this, Mrs Wade?’ Palmer’s thoughts were whirling.

‘Soon before Dennis stopped volunteering. Ninety-eight, I think.’

‘Do you know the boy’s name?’

‘It was Jack, I think. I never met the poor lad. Scouts, like golf, was Dennis’s thing.’

‘Do you know how he died?’

‘I just told you it was suicide.’ Her back went rigid. She was not comfortable remembering.

‘Is there anything else you think we should know?’

Veronica paused. ‘I don’t see how any of this is relevant. It was years ago now.’

‘Please,’ Palmer said gently.

‘Dennis was so distraught he couldn’t even attend the boy’s funeral. It was a difficult time,’ Veronica replied softening.

‘Okay, Mrs Wade. You’ve been extremely helpful. We’ll be in touch if we have any more questions or if there are any further developments.’

‘Thank you,’ Veronica said standing and going over to the window to look out over the fields. ‘Tell me, before you go, is it still snowing in Cambridge?’

‘Erm, no. Not at the moment. We’ve had rain.’ Palmer wondered why they were discussing the weather. ‘But the forecast says more snow is due.’