Tilly watched as the woman removed a small torch from her belt and slowly opened the shop door.

Minutes later she reappeared looking pale and shook her head solemnly before reaching for her radio. ‘Deceased male at Ashton’s Bookshop. We need forensics and this building needs to be cordoned off,’ she spoke into the radio.

The male officer stood leaning against the car with his arms folded trying to retain some warmth.

‘Suicide is it?’ the male officer asked.

‘Don’t think so.’

‘Huh?’

‘Well, he’s strung up high and there’s no sign of how he got up there,’ the female said seriously. ‘Has she said anything?’ She signalled to Tilly.

‘Not a word. The girl’s in shock.’

‘An ambulance is on the way.’ The officer turned to look at the shop. ‘We need to keep the public away,’ she added, referring to the crowd of onlookers who had gathered nearby. ‘Bloody nosy parkers.’

The male officer, who had a neatly trimmed beard, went and stood in the bookshop doorway and again folded his arms. No one was getting past him unless he said so.

Tilly sat in the back of the car watching it all unfold. All she could think about was Dennis Wade’s wife. She’d never met the woman, but she’d often heard Dennis speaking fondly of her. Tilly was sure they had children too. The thought made her stomach churn.

As the passenger door opened, Tilly looked up to see the kind face of the officer.

‘Can you tell me how you know the deceased?’

‘I work in the shop. He is…’ Tilly paused, ‘…was, my boss.’

‘I see.’ The officer smiled sadly. ‘What’s your name?’

‘I’m Matilda Edgely. I was meant to open up but he was always here before me. He loved the shop.’ Tilly swallowed hard.

‘I need you to give me his name and address, please.’ She removed a small note pad from her luminous jacket pocket.

‘Dennis Wade. He lives in Balsham with his wife.’ Tears pricked her eyes. ‘I don’t know the address.’

‘That’s very useful information. Thank you.’ She closed the car door and returned to jotting on her notepad.

Watching passers-by looking at her sitting in the back of the police car, Tilly began to feel like a criminal. She sunk down into her seat and wished she were back in bed. The day had not started the way she had intended.

Chapter 2

10.01am Friday 13th December

Twenty-five minutes later, DCI Barrett and DI Palmer were at the scene. Barrett, who seemed strangely unaffected by the bitter cold, pulled on a pair of shoe protectors, while Palmer tried to hide his face in his tightly wound scarf.

‘Hello, sir,’ the short officer welcomed her boss.

‘What do we have here?’ Barrett said, stepping into the bookshop.

‘Dennis Wade. He is the owner. Matilda Edgely, who works here, discovered the body this morning.’