‘I bet,’ Denise said, and sighed like she’d already surrendered. ‘I’m really sorry that I can’t be at the funeral. I’m the only one in today,’ she said.

Perfect. He had her in a place where she’d feel she owed him something. ‘There’ll be a coroner’s report soon enough anyway,’ James said, making himself look a little forlorn. ‘But it would really help Aunty Doris and Uncle Bill if we just had a few more details.’

‘You’re lucky I am on my own this morning. What do you want to know?’

‘Well, let’s start with Tony.’

Denise typed in the name, her face neutral apart from her scanning eyes. She struck at a few keys and raised an eyebrow at the result.

‘Lots of traffic offences,’ she said and laughed as she counted. ‘He’s been keeping the state economy going on parking fines alone!’ she added, before something more important caught her attention. ‘Did you know he’d been fined for public indecency?’

‘No.’

‘Looks like only the once, in 1999,’ Denise said. ‘Over the border.’

‘Any sentence?’

She shook her head, still hitting keys and scanning. James saw that her face was starting to redden.

‘No, just the fine,’ she said.

‘Any more details there? Location?’

‘No, but we’re not going to find anything in here about a suicide,’ she said, instant regret registering across her face.

James nodded. ‘Denise, I’m going to level with you. In my line of work we know that you lot hear all sorts from the boys in blue,’ he said, indicating the police station with his head, which made her smile. ‘Are they sure it was suicide?’

Denise looked spooked for the first time.

‘Was there any evidence, whatsoever, that Tony had been pushed?’ James asked.

‘I haven’t heard anything about that,’ Denise said, barely audible.

‘Well, is there any scuttle about what goes on in the park?’

This was the moment he knew he needed to read every single reaction from this woman. From here, the facts lay in one direction, only she could indicate which.

Denise put one arm across her breasts and planted her mouth inside her palm. That type of distress meant the response would be personal, in James’s experience, but before he could push further his phone rang.

‘I’d better take this,’ he said. ‘Can we talk later today?’

She nodded and took a long sip of her coffee, looking at him gravely over the cup as James pushed his way back onto the street, reached for his phone and started walking.

‘Dad?’ he said.

‘Where are you?’ a female voice said as soon as he picked up. No pleasantries. His cousin Yvonne never engaged in any.

‘Main street,’ James answered tersely. ‘Actually, I just turned off. I need coffee.’

She laughed. ‘Did you go out to the farm?’