‘Most of the rest is publicly traded, on London’s Alternative Investment Market. Nearly 15 per cent is owned by a rival food company, HKIC, that has been interested in buying us.’

Gillard looked down at his papers. ‘Hong Kong & International Cuisine, Mr Lam’s firm?’

‘I see you’ve been doing your research. My sisters each have 0.5 per cent.’

‘Half a per cent? So your older sister, Prisha, only has one fortieth of the holding that you do?’ Claire asked incredulously.

Harry nodded. ‘She is not involved in the day-to-day running of the business, but her stake is still worth £600,000. It may seem a little inequitable to you, but it is far better than the traditional Hindu inheritance rules, which trickle down like this: sons, sons’ sons, sons’ grandsons, the widow of the deceased, daughters, daughters’ sons, mother, father, brothers, brothers’ sons. When my father had a stroke in 2008, he said he wanted the entire business to come to me and my sons, should I have any. It was only my mother’s dogged intercession over the years until his death that persuaded him otherwise. The idea to set up a trust with the bulk of my father’s bequests was a compromise, though there was considerable argy-bargy about it, I can tell you. My father’s deathbed in 2017 was not a peaceful place.’

‘So what happens now Mrs Roy has died?’ Gillard asked.

‘It depends what she has written in her will. That is in the hands of Mr Vaj, our family lawyer and the chief trustee.’

‘You don’t have any idea?’ he asked.

Harry smiled. ‘Of course, I have some clue. I assume it will be divided equally between us three children, in the British fashion, rather than the Indian one my father favoured.’

‘So nobody gains control of the company just because she died?’ Claire asked.

‘That’s correct. The trust’s 30 per cent and my own 20 per cent plus the other smaller family holdings form a majority, so no one could buy the firm without our agreement.’

‘Well, that answers one question,’ Gillard said.

‘I really don’t think that you can find the answer to this terrible crime within the company or the family.’

‘So day-to-day, you now have control?’ Gillard asked.

‘Yes, and in many senses I already did. My mother may have been the chief executive, but I look after the finances. We consulted on many things, many times a day.’

‘Did she have any enemies?’ Claire asked.

Harry screwed up his face. ‘No, none whatever. Everybody loved her.’ His voice cracked on the final two words. ‘Do excuse me.’ He teared up a little, and wiped his face with a handkerchief. ‘Well, she was tough. With suppliers, with business rivals, and above all with her family. It’s the sort of thing that you find pretty often in business. She always got things done her way. But she was fair. Always fair.’

‘There are some other things that you can help me with, Mr Roy. I’ve just been to your mother’s flat in Leatherhead. I understand from her PA that she had slept there on the night before her death. Do other members of the family use that flat?’