‘No. I think you know that I live in Hertfordshire. My partner and I have our own life there, with my daughter, Indigo.’

Gillard passed across a sheaf of papers. ‘We have looked through your mother’s phone and found she had been in contact with quite a lot of people over the last month. It would be helpful if you would confirm any numbers here that you are aware of, which will save us a lot of time chasing up the details.’

‘I see you refer to emails, and texts. Whose permission did you gain to access all this confidential data?

‘Your brother’s. Her phone had a password, but with our data kiosk we can extract all the metadata, texts and emails, within half an hour. It often doesn’t tell us who owns the phones she was called from, and obviously we don’t know what was said. But anything you can tell us will save time.’

Prisha sighed, and flicked through the papers. ‘Well that’s mine, that is my daughter whose birthday it was last week. I see you have already got Harry’s number labelled.’ Using her own phone, she cross-referenced another dozen contacts on the phone. ‘There, that’s all I can help you with.’

Gillard locked eyes with her. ‘Can you think of anyone who had a grudge against your mother? Any former employee or business associate? Was she to your knowledge being stalked by anyone? After all she was a familiar face on television. She probably got fan mail.’

There was a flicker in those brown eyes, which Gillard knew from long experience indicated that she knew something.

‘So you’re sure this wasn’t a robbery?’ she asked. ‘Or some random argument with a stranger?’

‘We are keeping an open mind, but your mother’s wealth and position give us some obvious motives to work from. Anything that you can think of would be helpful.’

She paused. ‘I’ll have to have a think about that.’

‘Finally, there is something I have to ask. Where were you were at 7.30 a.m. last Sunday?’

She stared at him, enmity radiating from her features. ‘I was in bed asleep at home in Hertfordshire with my partner Simon. The first I knew about my mother’s death was when Harry rang me just before ten.’

‘I’m sorry to upset you, but it is something we had to ask. It’s just a formality.’

‘Perhaps there are things that you should know. I had lunch with my mother on Friday. She had agreed to invest some money into the expansion of my business.’

‘That’s a spa in Marylebone isn’t it?’

‘It’s not just a spa. It’s an Ayurvedic wellness centre, promoting deep cleansing of body and mind. It’s been doing very well, but a lease has come up for larger premises nearby. My mother was going to transfer the money on Monday, but of course she didn’t. Now, because of the delay, I’ve just been told that somebody else has taken up the lease.’

Gillard spread his hands. What do you expect me to do about it? ‘Well of course that is very inconvenient for you. It’s inevitable that many major decisions can’t be taken after a death like this. I understand your brother’s wedding is on hold too.’