‘Murder,’ Vera said, enjoying the moment of melodrama. ‘That’s what’s so important.’

‘We’ve told you all we know about poor Jenny.’ The poor added at the last minute because of Hannah’s presence, though it seemed to Vera that Hannah was hardly aware they were there at all.

‘There’s been another death.’ At last Vera had the response she wanted. Even Hannah looked up, her eyes blurred. Ashworth’s mobile rang, spoiling the moment. Vera glared at him as he left the room to take the call.

‘Who else has been killed?’ Veronica had her palms on the table and had half risen in her seat.

‘A student called Danny Shaw.’

Silence. Again no sign that the name meant anything to them.

Vera leaned across the table towards Hannah. ‘You were at school with him, pet.’ Her voice so low that the others had to strain to make out the words. ‘Can you tell us anything about him?’

Hannah pushed her hair away from her face, made an effort to concentrate. ‘He was older than me.’

‘That’s right.’

‘In the sixth form when I was doing GCSEs. We met up on the school bus sometimes.’ She gave a sudden bright smile. ‘He asked me out.’

‘Did you go?’

‘A couple of times.’

Vera wished Ashworth were still in the room. She needed her eyes to be everywhere. Just now she looked at Simon Eliot. Had he known about this previous relationship? Was this the sort of thing young people in love discussed while they walked hand in hand down country lanes in the spring? Had he been jealous, or had the details of previous lovers added spice to their own lovemaking? Because turning her attention back to Hannah, seeing the smile again on her face, Vera thought she and Danny had probably been lovers. Now, it was impossible to tell what Simon thought about that. His arm was around Hannah and his only concern seemed to be for her.

Vera directed the next question to the boy. ‘Did you know Danny? You went to different schools, but you were about the same age.’

‘Yeah, I knew him. I was a bit older, but we had friends in common, went to the same parties. We weren’t close, though.’

‘Have you seen him this holiday?’

Simon hesitated. Because he was trying to remember, or because he had something to hide?

‘Once perhaps. A couple of weeks ago in a pub in Hexham.’ He turned to Hannah. ‘Do you remember, sweetie? You were there.’

‘Yes,’ she said immediately. ‘Yes, of course.’ But Vera thought she would have said anything to please him.

‘Why did you only go out with Danny a couple of times?’ Vera asked her. Hannah was so frail that she wondered if she would manage to answer even something as simple as this.