James stood to join her and rested a hand on her shoulder.

‘That won’t be possible, Mrs Jenkins. The field is now a crime scene and forensic officers are working there. But I can assure you it’s not a mistake. You will be asked to formally identify your husband, but not yet.’

She sat back down and started crying, sobs wracking her body. She produced a tissue from her dressing gown pocket and started to dab at her eyes.

‘You still haven’t told me what happened,’ she said, her voice laced with despair. ‘How did Charlie die?’

There was no easy way to tell her, so James just came right out with it.

‘It appears he was attacked while walking across the field and stabbed at least twice,’ he said. ‘I suspect he died from his wounds almost immediately.’

More tears came then and this time she buried her face in her hands.

James’s heart went out to her, but at the same time he knew he had to keep an open mind. He had interviewed people in the past who had convinced him at first that they were innocent through performances worthy of an Oscar.

So, despite the tears, Sonia Jenkins had to be their prime suspect for now. Just hours before her husband was killed, they’d had a serious row over Janet Dyer, during which James had witnessed Sonia telling Charlie that she wished he was dead.

Was it possible that she had followed him when he left the pub last night? Had she gone armed with a knife, intending to get revenge?

She stopped crying abruptly and stared at him, as though reading his mind.

‘Do you have any idea who did it?’ she asked.

‘Not yet, we don’t,’ James replied.

‘Please don’t tell me you think it was me, because it wasn’t,’ she said. ‘Of course, I was angry with him and deeply hurt. He had an affair three years ago and it almost split us up. He swore to me it wouldn’t happen again. But I would never kill him. In fact, I know I would have forgiven him again in time.’

‘You must appreciate that I have to treat everyone as a suspect until they can be ruled out, and that includes you, Mrs Jenkins,’ James said.

‘I’ve told you exactly what happened last night, and you have to believe me. I could never hurt anyone, especially not Charlie. And Daisy meant the world to me. Do you really think I would leave her out there to freeze to death?’

‘I hear what you’re saying, and I can assure you I’m not jumping to any conclusions, Mrs Jenkins. But let me ask you this: Have you any idea who might have wanted to kill your husband?’

‘Well, you can start with that cow Janet Dyer,’ she said. ‘She was really pissed off with him for going to her house yesterday. And if he had ended their relationship she probably wanted to get her own back.’