‘Mr Gerrard was the one who had the idea of going up to the treetop walk to look for Russell,’ Chris said, his voice low.

‘He said we’d better come back.’ Gaby’s voice was shaking. ‘He said something had happened to Russell.’

Luke moved to perch on the arm of Gaby’s chair. He put an arm round her and kissed the top of her head. She clutched his arm and began to cry.

Chris threw Clare a look and she gave a slight nod. ‘We’ll leave you in peace for now, Gaby. But there’s just one thing more.’

Gaby looked up but didn’t speak.

‘We do believe your brother was deliberately killed.’

‘No shit, Sherlock,’ Luke Gasparini spat. ‘I think we’d worked that out for ourselves.’

Clare decided she didn’t much like Luke Gasparini, but she knew from experience that grief affected people in different ways so she acknowledged this with a nod. Turning back to Gaby she said, ‘Can you think of anyone who might have wanted to harm Russell? Anyone come to mind?’

Gaby shook her head. ‘No,’ she whispered. ‘Russell – he was just lovely.’

Clare smiled. ‘Was Russell your only sibling? Any other relatives? We can contact them for you. Save you a difficult job. If it would help,’ she added.

A spasm of pain crossed Gaby’s face. ‘We lost my brother David.’

‘Oh,’ Clare said, ‘I’m so sorry.’

Gaby’s lips thinned and she attempted a smile. ‘An accident, you know.’

‘When was this?’

‘Almost ten years.’ She dabbed at her eyes again. ‘Ten years next month. And now Russell.’

Clare said, ‘I’m sorry we have to ask these questions, Gaby.’

She fished a tissue out of her pocket. ‘It’s fine,’ she said. ‘You have your job to do.’

‘Thank you.’ Clare smiled, then she went on. ‘I know you have your daughter but are there any other children? Yours or your brothers?’

She shook her head. ‘Luke and I, we only have Sacha. Russell wasn’t the marrying kind.’

‘And your brother David?’ Clare asked, her tone gentle.

Gaby shook her head. ‘David didn’t have children,’ she said. ‘Or at least none we know of.’

Clare nodded to Chris and they rose from their seats. ‘Thanks, Gaby. I know this wasn’t easy for you. We’ll leave you in peace now.’

They turned to leave then Gaby said, ‘Inspector.’

‘Yes?’

‘I think we’d all like to go home as soon as possible. We’ve nothing to stay for now.’

This was tricky. Clare was used to interviewing victims’ relatives in their own homes and she didn’t relish trying to conduct an investigation with the only witnesses spread between Glasgow and London. ‘Your rooms here – how long have you booked for?’

‘I was hoping tonight could be our last night,’ Gaby said, ‘but…’