‘Have you been interviewing local people, Inspector?’

‘We’ve been gathering all relative information from various sources and asking any local people living here at the time to contact us. Can I ask if either of you have thought of anything that is not in your original statements, that on reflection might help?’

Fleur and Nikki shook their heads. He’s clutching at straws, Nikki thought, and he knows it.

‘Will you excuse me?’ she asked. ‘I’d like to go out and get some air. I’ll walk along the beach for a while.’ She turned to Fleur. ‘I won’t be long.’

Fleur opened her mouth to say, Be careful in the dark and mind the steps, but shut it again, knowing what effect her fussing would have. She saw the inspector had noted this and she felt irritated. She went to the fridge and poured herself a glass of white wine. Then she took a deep breath.

‘Inspector Blythe, does the pathologist know how my daughter died?’

Blythe met her eyes. ‘Mohktar drove up to the pathology lab this afternoon. He’s not back yet. The pathology report should have been ready this evening. He will be here any moment and then we will know more…’ He hesitated. ‘I came ahead to see how you and Miss Montrose were feeling…It is a long time ago, Mrs Campbell, and painful for both of you. I was unsure whether it was the right time for either of you to hear any stressful details of your small daughter’s death.’

‘My daughter being so obviously pregnant, you mean?’

‘James Mohktar told me she had been unwell on the way here.’

‘Yes, she was. It’s why I worry…’

‘Of course, it’s natural.’

Fleur folded her fingers round the cold glass. ‘I think I need to know the truth about what happened to my daughter, Inspector. I thought I wouldn’t be able to bear it, but I think I owe it to her…now we have found her again.’

‘I rather thought that was what you might feel,’ Blythe said gently.

Fleur saw suddenly that he was a kind man who had come ahead to pave the way for unpleasant news. He had asked for a beer to dispel the obvious atmosphere in the room as he entered it; to try to put them both at ease.

‘I don’t think DS Mohktar will be long. I hope I’m not keeping you from anything.’

Fleur smiled. ‘No, of course you’re not.’

There was a little silence and then he asked, ‘So, you flew from London via Singapore to visit your daughter who is living in New Zealand?’

‘Yes. To see Nikki and also to look at some architecture; I’m doing an arts degree at an advanced age.’

The inspector smiled. ‘So do many other people, a great deal older than you. Well done, I say.’ He paused. ‘When did your daughter settle in New Zealand?’

‘About four years ago.’

‘This is your first trip out to visit her?’

‘Yes.’

‘You must miss her. Does she fly home to see you?’ Aware of where she was being led, Fleur said, ‘My husband died three years ago. Nikki came home for the funeral.’