‘We are sorry to disturb you, Mrs Clark,’ Gillard said.

‘One of your PCs has already taken a statement,’ she said.

‘I know, we just need a few more details.’

The flat smelled musty with that suspicious taint often found in the homes of the housebound. She offered them tea, but the detectives declined. Mrs Clark was barely mobile, so they all sat down together in the lounge, the dog shivering on the woman’s lap. Gillard pulled her statement up on his phone, and once again checked the details with her.

‘I can’t believe that Zayan would do any of these things,’ she said. ‘He was always so kind to me. He took Brunnhilde to the vet, and Pepe here for long walks that I can’t manage.’

‘Very kind, I’m sure.’

‘He even vacuumed for me sometimes.’

Gillard and Claire shared a look. ‘Mrs Clark,’ he asked. ‘Would you mind if I took a look around in some of your cupboards?’

‘Not at all. My money is in the old teapot.’ She laughed. ‘Just save me enough for a funeral.’

Claire smiled, and continued to talk to her as Gillard made his way into the kitchen. What he was looking for were high cupboards, well out of reach of the owner. There were three or four of them here and one in the hall. The latter he thought would be unlikely, as it would be visible from the lounge. It was the second kitchen cupboard that yielded results. A plastic carrier bag, containing a small holdall. Before touching it he put on a fresh pair of latex gloves. Gingerly he lifted it out and onto the kitchen work surface. He unzipped the bag, and saw three very heavily taped plastic bundles, which he was sure would turn out to contain cocaine. And then something else. Not what he’d expected.

Chapter 25

The solicitor who arrived to represent Lal was Danny Shah, the same high-profile brief present for Harry Roy’s interview. The prisoner was brought through, seated in the interview room and the formalities and introductions made for the tape. Lal did not deny who he was, and confirmed the address in Walton-on-Thames. The two detectives read him his rights and charged him with the murders of Mrs Tanvi Roy and of DC Colin Hodges, and a separate charge of the attempted murder of Mrs Roy through poison. He was separately charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine. The lawyer reminded him of the implications of anything he said. He shrugged and said he was happy to co-operate as far as the cocaine was concerned. ‘But I have never killed anyone, not Mrs Roy, not your detective friend. No one. I’m a peaceful man.’

Gillard snorted with disagreement. ‘Peaceful? Well, for a start, you threw a knife at me front of witnesses in the kitchens at Mount Browne.’

‘That was self-defence.’

Gillard shook his head in bemusement. ‘You’ve led us a merry dance. You were using the subcontractor ID card that had been issued to one Akash Begum, who had worked for Compass Catering Services. Can I ask you how you obtained that card?’