Now McNab took over. Opening up his laptop, he said, ‘You spoke to DI McCreadie at the time it happened.’

‘I spoke to a detective, yes. I don’t remember his name.’

‘I have the notes here that Detective Inspector McCreadie took when he interviewed you.’

McNab began to read out the relevant passage.

‘“She” – that’s you – “said she was sorry but she didn’t like her” – her being Mary. “That she bossed Karen around and upset her wee sister by saying there wasn’t a seat in heaven for her because she was a Protestant. She thought Mary was just hiding somewhere, so that everyone would look for her. Mary likes to be the centre of attention. And she flirts. With Alec up the road, even Eric. She halts there as though she’s said too much. Who’s Eric, does he live nearby too, I ask? She shakes her head. Eric’s my boyfriend. And he knows Mary? He doesn’t know her, she says firmly. But when he comes to collect me, she talks to him.”’

There was a moment’s silence while her face moved from amazement to anger. ‘That’s wrong. He’s telling lies. I never said such a thing.’

‘What thing is wrong?’ McNab said. ‘That you didn’t like Mary? That she told tales about who was allowed in heaven? Or that Mary flirted with your boyfriend?’

She drew herself up. ‘I don’t remember saying any of those things. In fact I’m sure I didn’t. I certainly didn’t sign anything like that.’

‘Eric, your boyfriend at the time, he became your husband?’ Janice said.

She nodded. ‘Yes. And we’ve been married for forty-four years,’ she added proudly.

McNab thought at that moment that whoever Eric was, he deserved a medal.

‘We’d like to speak to your husband,’ Janice said.

‘Why?’ Mrs Jackson seemed surprised. ‘He didn’t even know Mary.’

‘But you said Mary spoke to him when he came to pick you up?’ McNab reminded her.

‘I don’t remember saying that.’

‘Was Eric ever interviewed by DI McCreadie?’ Janice said.

‘I don’t think so. We’d only just met when Mary disappeared. He didn’t know anyone in the street except me.’

‘Nevertheless, we will have to speak to Eric,’ Janice persisted. ‘To confirm or deny what you told DI McCreadie back then.’

Eleanor Jackson made a sound of annoyance, or perhaps resignation, McNab wasn’t sure which. Then she said, ‘Well, he’s not here. He’s in Europe somewhere with the lorry. He drives long distance.’

‘How long has he been doing that for?’ Janice said, with an interested smile.

‘A very long time.’ She sighed as though it wouldn’t have been her choice.

‘When do you expect him back?’

‘In a couple of weeks,’ she said dismissively. ‘So can I go now?’

‘Firstly, we’d like you to write down everything you remember about that day. And the names of anyone you suspected might have been involved in Mary’s disappearance.’

‘You want me to tell you who I think did it?’ She looked surprised and quite pleased about this.