‘I really don’t, but I would have thought it was extremely unlikely. She hardly ever left the farm and when she did it was usually with Robert.’

Todd said he had spoken to Mary’s sister and neither of them expected to gain financially from the sale of the farm as they were both aware that Robert had accumulated substantial debts.

‘I didn’t know about the gambling, though,’ Todd said. ‘My brother kept that to himself. And I have no idea if he had any enemies. The suspects you’ve mentioned are just names to me and I never met Simon and Amanda Roth. Before I moved to Ireland I was based in Leeds and so we led separate lives.’

James ended the informal interview by asking Todd what he thought could have led to what happened on Christmas Eve.

The man’s eyes flared with emotion. ‘There can only be one explanation. Someone went into the house and killed them. It was not a murder-suicide, as some people are suggesting. Of that I’m certain.’

James headed back to the office feeling disappointed. Todd Bateman had merely confirmed much of what they already knew about his brother. He hadn’t provided any information that would move the investigation forward.

When James reached his desk, he started making a list of the decisions that needed to be made as soon as possible. But after a minute or so DC Abbott rushed up to him.

‘I think we might have got that breakthrough we’ve been waiting for, guv,’ she said. ‘The lab just called to say they’ve identified the fingerprints found in the concealed space above the cellar. The ones that didn’t belong to Robert Bateman.’

‘Are they a match for any of our suspects?’ James asked her.

She nodded excitedly. ‘They match those on the glass I swiped from William Nash’s kitchen.’

James jumped to his feet. ‘The ex-boyfriend! The guy Charlotte thought was stalking her.’

‘The very same, guv. And by sheer coincidence the warrant giving the go-ahead to search his house has just been signed off.’

CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

DC Abbott was back in the driving seat when they set out for Kirkby Abbey in the pool car.

James sat next to her with his mobile phone clamped to his ear as he updated DCI Tanner on the latest development.

‘We’re on our way to William Nash’s house now,’ he said. ‘A patrol car is also heading there.’

‘So, his prints have been found in the hidden space above the cellar,’ Tanner said.

‘That’s right. But he told us he’d never set foot inside it, which means he lied. It’s a sure bet he was the one spying on the family through the peephole. Or rather, he was keeping an eye on his ex-girlfriend.’

‘It sounds promising, James. I’ll soon be on my way back to Kendal so keep me in the loop.’