‘Then you should have booked a bloody double room with champagne and chocolates, she would have told you everything.’

Gabby Underwood arrived in the incident room to find her detective chief inspector staring in a puzzled fashion at the telephone receiver in his hand. She could hear the dialling tone.

‘You have to hit the buttons if you want to make a call, sir,’ she said, with a smirk.

Gillard shook his head. ‘Sorry. Someone just hung up on me.’

She guessed who, but decided to keep her lip buttoned. As an experienced liaison officer she knew exactly when to stay quiet. She was just back from visiting Harry Roy at his flat in Walton-on-Thames, her second visit. Once she finally had her boss’s attention she described the luxurious penthouse apartment with extensive views of the river.

‘So how did he seem?’ Gillard said.

‘Depressed,’ she replied. ‘Definitely very down. He was sitting in his dressing gown in this beautiful flat with the curtains drawn just binge-watching DVDs. He hasn’t been to work for days, and he hasn’t even shaved. I get the impression there is a big backlog of work building up, which somebody needs to do. I had rung him earlier and his landline answer machine and mobile voicemail are both full. He wasn’t answering, not to me at least.’

‘Nor me. I really need to interview him again,’ Gillard said. ‘I got a call back from Morag Fairburn, who said that his doctor won’t let him be put under pressure. I really can’t wait much longer though. So did you find out anything?’

‘Not from him. He didn’t pay me any attention, just watched TV while I ran round making him tea and fetching biscuits from the kitchen. He is the sort of man who looks like he’s been used to being waited on hand and foot. I think his bride-to-be should be warned,’ she laughed.

‘Did he ask you about the investigation?’

‘Not really. Just at the beginning – he asked “Got him yet?” And that was it.’

‘Did you get much chance to look around the flat?’

‘A little. It’s not too messy because he has someone come in to clear up for him, but it’s clear that he is not looking after himself. I think he totally depended on his mother. I tried asking him about his fiancée to cheer him up, and he just groaned. Sonali’s a feisty little woman apparently, and she’s on his case every day, dozens of texts and emails.’

‘Well, I do sort of see her point, the wedding was supposed to be next week.’

‘I don’t think he was looking forward to it. It seems to me his entire life has been in thrall to strong women. He’s just got rid of one, his mother, now he’s about to have another foisted upon him.’

‘When you say “got rid of—”?’

‘Oh! I didn’t mean in that way, boss. He’s bereft, honestly, without his mother. Worse than either of his sisters.’