She took another slice of pizza and bit the end off. ‘Any time you want to practise…’

He bent forward and kissed her forehead. ‘Just going to wash up. I’ll bring you a mug of tea and you can tell me about your day.’

Clare watched him go then put the rest of her pizza slice on the side of the bath. She lay back, enjoying the moment, and closed her eyes. Seconds later she was dozing, the cares of the day drifting away.

Day 7: Friday

Chapter 30

‘I don’t even remember getting to bed,’ she said to the DCI over breakfast.

‘I found you snoring in the bath.’

‘I do not snore.’

‘Like a tractor. Anyway, you did wake up long enough to dry yourself and fall into bed.’

She smiled. ‘Sorry, Al. Not much of an evening for you.’

He shook his head. ‘I’ve been a DI, remember, Clare. I know what major enquiries are like.’ He sipped his coffee. ‘So, what do you reckon?’

‘The murder? Who knows? I’m fairly sure that man Willie.’

‘From the homeless shelter?’

‘Yeah, that’s him. I reckon he’s involved. With luck, SOCO will find his DNA at the shelter and we can compare it with the profile on the gun cartridge.’

‘And you think he could be a relative of the Foxes?’

Clare bit into a slice of toast and chewed. ‘I might be clutching at straws there. Raymond did say the DNA wasn’t from a relative of the deceased. It could just be a coincidence, both he and Gaby having Raynaud’s.’

‘It’s not that uncommon,’ the DCI said. ‘I know a couple of guys with it.’

Clare shrugged.

‘Where’s your motive?’ he went on.

‘Good question. If they are related, there could be some long-standing family feud, although that does sound unlikely. Or maybe he is just a hired gun. If he is, then who knows what the motive is or who hired him? Maybe some connection with Russell Fox’s business. Or someone else he upset in prison. I’ve honestly no idea.’

The DCI lifted the cafetiere and topped up Clare’s coffee. ‘Maybe you should examine Russell Fox’s affairs more closely.’ He sat back thinking then said, ‘You mentioned he was selling the restaurants.’

Clare nodded. ‘He was. But I can’t see how that’s connected.’

‘Nor can I. But it’s worth a look.’

She mulled this over as she drove into town. Had Russell Fox been killed because he’d planned to sell his restaurants? Ownership would pass to Gaby now. But was it possible there was a relative somewhere who might contest the will? From what Sara had said about Willie he was too old to be David Fox’s child so how might he be related to Gaby and Russell?