‘I know, but it wouldn’t be the first time we’ve seen something like this.’

Mark tried to remember a time he’d heard a similar thing happening, but was struggling. ‘I just think we’re missing part of the story here. It doesn’t make much sense to not kill Joanna that same night. If it was Rich, he would kill her at the same time, surely? He knew Emily’s blood was in that place, why not plant that near the body or on the roof if he was trying to frame her or something?’

‘I don’t know why yet. I’m hoping to find out though. Maybe he just thought it was enough to keep us running in circles.’

Mark shaped to talk again, but DI Bennett cut him off.

‘For now, we have to concentrate on what we have so far,’ she said, pulling her jacket closer to her body as the wind hit them again. ‘And that’s Emily’s body found somewhere her uncle – who has prior history of violence against women and a possible statement coming from Emily’s brother – uses frequently. Obviously, he would know of its existence when there are loads who wouldn’t. You could walk past this place and not know it existed. No cameras pointing towards it, not overlooked. It’s perfect.’

‘What’s the motive?’

DI Bennett cocked an eyebrow at him. ‘Drugs or sexual abuse. That’s the odds.’

‘I suppose so,’ Mark replied, wondering what this would mean for the family. Emily’s mum, having to deal with the fact her own brother was under suspicion for her daughter’s murder. If it was murder. ‘Has she been beaten? Any signs of violence?’

‘We think the blood came from an injury to her arm. She’s got a deep gash along the outside of the left one. From the bruises around her neck, it looks likely that death will have been caused by strangulation, but she wasn’t in the best shape. Those bruises could be anything. Won’t know the truth until the post-mortem.’

Mark looked towards where the forensic techs were shuttling back and forth. They were standing on the periphery of the yard, keen to keep any contamination down to a minimum. He felt a pull towards them, wanting to see for himself that she was really there. To know that there was nothing he could have done differently to find her sooner the past few days. That he’d be able to look the family in the eye and do so without guilt.

He didn’t think that was possible.

Truth was, he felt very out of his depth now.

He wanted to find whoever did this to her. To Emily.

That gut feeling again. That it wasn’t Rich. There were too many unanswered questions. Too many other parts to the story that didn’t make sense.