‘Agnieszka and I both told them to give up the shop years ago. Things have changed round here. All the people Mum and Dad knew have moved out of Brick Lane.’ He pointed, first at Alchemia, with its new glitzy shopfront, and then at his mother’s newsagent. ‘It’s sounds harsh but no-one needs Basildon Bond envelopes and jars of instant coffee when we are surrounded by espresso bars and supermarkets.’ He checked his watch. ‘I’d better shoot. I want to get to the hospital and make sure she’s OK.’

‘Before you dash off, we’ll need your contact details.’ I signalled for one of the uniformed officers. ‘When did you last see your mother?’

‘First thing this morning.’ The frown clouded his features briefly and I noticed that his hair was scattered with grey at the temples. ‘I helped her with a delivery. The boxes were far too heavy for her and the driver dumped them in the street.’

‘Did you see any activity over the road at the soup shop?’

‘I saw Indra leave around nine. The shop was shut up. That’s extremely unusual for them.’

Maya, 6.15 p.m.

Maya, 6.15 p.m.

As Dan and I walked away from the crime scene, my thoughts shifted from Rosa Feldman. It was clear that the fire was arson, so we now had a double murder and two people in hospital, both extremely ill. I’d need to report in to Superintendent Campbell and request she appoint me SIO. Questions were swirling in my mind, and I was determined that whoever was responsible would be brought to justice.

I dialled the hospital and asked to be put through to the ward. Rosa was much better but was refusing to go and stay with her daughter. ‘Rosa has been having more nightmares,’ I told Dan once I’d rung off. ‘She’s waking up screaming, convinced she’s back in Warsaw.’

‘Poor lady. If she was born at the end of the war, the German army razed the city to the ground. The Soviet troops finished it off a year later. I’m not surprised the fire has triggered traumatic memories.’

‘Once she’s awake she knows she’s not back in Poland, but she insists that the only place she feels safe is at the newsagent’s . . . ’

‘. . . which may be true but isn’t necessarily what’s best for her.’

‘How on earth can she return to the shop after inhaling all that smoke?’ I asked.

Dan was pensive. ‘I’m sure her kids will see her right. Tomasz has gone to the hospital, so he’ll find out about the dreams. It sounds like he’s got property to put her up in.’