‘I didn’t!’

Although her denial seemed genuine, it was time to push her. ‘Amelia told you about it last Monday when you were arguing over Max Campbell, didn’t she?’

‘No!’

‘Did you even discuss Max Campbell, or was that just a cover for what you really talked about?’

‘Of course we talked about him.’

‘Did Amelia tell you what Ava O’Brien had done to her?’

‘No!’

‘Did it make you angry? Furious? Did you and Amelia plan to kill her in revenge?’

Charlotte stared at Jake with a dumbfounded expression. ‘Are you crazy?’

‘Ms Murphy, were you really at home on Thursday night?’

‘Yes, I told you I was.’

‘We are checking your phone records and they will show whether you called anyone and where from, so this is your chance to explain yourself.’

‘Check whatever you want. I haven’t done anything wrong.’

Jake would push this scenario all the way to the end in case he picked up something of interest, but Charlotte appeared to be telling the truth.

‘Amelia doesn’t have a car, but you do,’ he said. ‘Did you go for a drive on Thursday night? Pick Amelia up? Go to see Ava?’

Charlotte shook her head. Fear had entered her eyes.

‘Someone had to have carried Ava to where she was found. Amelia is small and unfit, but you’re a tall, strong girl. You could carry a reasonable weight,’ Jake pressed.

She stared at the floor. ‘I didn’t know what happened to Amelia, and I didn’t hurt Ms O’Brien.’

‘Charlotte. Look at me.’

She raised her head.

‘You have to see that, from my point of view, it’s possible. Possible Amelia told you on Monday what happened to her in the home. Possible you plotted to kill Ava O’Brien in revenge …’

‘No.’

‘… Possible you picked Amelia up in your car on Thursday night and went to Ava’s house,’ Jake continued, ‘killed her, then dumped her in the vineyard. Possible that Amelia tried to commit suicide out of guilt at what you did.’

‘But I didn’t, she didn’t, we didn’t!’

‘Can you show me anything that proves where you were on Thursday night?’

Seconds ticked by as Charlotte stared at him. Then she smiled. ‘My sleep app!’

‘How does that help?’

‘It records my breathing and movement and backs up to the cloud. I have location services turned on, so it will show you exactly where I was all night long.’ She took a deep breath and exhaled, shaking her body, arms and hands as she did so. ‘You almost had me wondering if I was guilty.’

A tangential thought occurred. ‘One more thing,’ he said.

Her wariness returned. ‘Yes?’

‘What do you think of strawberries?’

Jake had never hoped that someone connected to a case held a passionate dislike for a fruit. He did now.

‘Love ’em. Why?’

Sighing, Jake wrapped up the interview and accompanied Charlotte to the front office where he expected Evelyn to be waiting.

‘I’ll be nicer to Amelia from now on,’ Charlotte said. ‘Now that I understand …’