Again, Clare left the question unanswered. ‘I gather you told my officer your name is David Fox. Is that correct?’

‘Yes. I am David Fox,’ he said, his voice rising. ‘It really is me and I’m not dead.’ He ran a hand through this hair. ‘I just want to know if Gaby’s okay. I’ve been trying to reach her but she’s not picking up.’

Clare regarded him. His distress appeared genuine and she took pity on him. ‘Gaby is in hospital just now.’

He rose to his feet and the solicitor gently touched his arm. He glanced at her then sat down again. ‘In hospital? What’s happened to her?’

Clare said, ‘At the moment I can’t say too much but I have an officer at the hospital. As soon as there’s any news I’ll let you know.’

He sat for a moment, taking this in then said, ‘Is she in danger?’

‘I’m sorry, Mr Fox, I don’t know any more than that.’ She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. ‘But she’s in the best place.’

He nodded. ‘Sorry, it’s just, well, I hadn’t seen her for so long and now we’re back in touch…’

Clare scanned her notes, wondering where to begin with this interview. And then she remembered her boss from CID when she’d been a newly promoted detective sergeant. A crusty old DI. Always start at the beginning, hen, he’d say.

‘Perhaps we could start with the tsunami, David. Can you tell us about that?’

‘It’s so long ago now,’ he said. ‘Not that you forget.’

‘Just what you can remember.’

‘Well, you probably know I was in Thailand that year. For Christmas. Brilliant time. Met a great crowd. We had Christmas on the beach. They said stay a while. But I’d always planned to head north. So, I thanked them for their company, wished them well and headed off that night.’ He looked down for a moment, as if the memory was a painful one. ‘Never saw them again.’ His voice was husky. ‘They probably all died the next day. Someone was definitely looking out for me. No doubt about that.’

‘When did you hear about it?’

‘A few hours after it happened,’ David said. ‘It was everywhere. And I kept thinking of all the lovely folk I’d met.’ He frowned. ‘I just wanted to get away – forget about it, you know?’

Clare nodded. ‘And then?’

He spread his hands. ‘I dunno, I sort of got used to being off-grid. No responsibilities, no ties. I bummed my way round Asia.’ He smiled. ‘Have you been? It’s the most wonderful continent.’

Chris said, ‘Didn’t you miss your family? Gaby and Russell?’