‘I’ll need to talk to your son, who is now in charge of Tactika Enterprises, being your husband’s sole heir. Was he aware of the parties?’

‘Stay away from my family,’ Vivienne said.

Kelly could tell that the woman was losing it.

‘I’m afraid that’s out of the question until we get some answers and a conclusion to this case. I’m sure you appreciate its high profile in the press currently, and that’s unfortunate, but until we conclude the investigation, there’s nothing I can do about that for you. Do you have any comment for me?’

‘No.’

‘That’s unfortunate, because this is your opportunity.’

‘This conversation is over. If you want to speak to me again then contact my lawyer.’

‘The Tactika lawyer with Nellie Lowther? I’ll speak to her and explain the nature of your obligations as family of the deceased. I’ll look forward to meeting your son.’

‘You will not talk to him, I forbid it.’

Kelly was momentarily stunned. The language jarred her senses; this woman thought she could control the outcome of everything. ‘Didn’t he tell you? He’s on his way up here, by helicopter, admittedly a curious choice. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of him. And if there’s anything you’d like to share with me, then please give me a call. You have my number. But there is actually one thing I meant to ask you before we got side-tracked. Perhaps we’ve got off on the wrong foot? I was reading your interview with the uniformed police who visited your house after the death of your husband and I want to remind you of what you said.’

‘I can’t remember what I said, I was in shock,’ Vivienne said.

‘Let me jog your memory,’ Kelly said. ‘You asked why your husband was on “the” helicopter. That says to me that you knew he was using one for the weekend. You also said that Lord Reilly wasn’t supposed to be on it. You have since said that you had no idea that they were together, so why would you say that?’

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘I’ve got it written in the statement you gave to police on Monday night,’ Kelly said.

‘I didn’t say that.’

‘Did you have any reason to believe that if your husband had a visitor, they wouldn’t have got on his helicopter with him?’

‘Like I said, I’ve got nothing more to say to you,’ she said and hung up.

Kelly stared at her phone as it buzzed and went dead.

The conversation hadn’t been entirely pointless; she’d at least gauged the woman’s mettle. The splintering of a family unit because of either money or death was something that usually got messy, and Kelly intended to be there to pick up the pieces.