‘I see. Could you tell me what you know about the family?’

She dragged heavily on her cigarette before replying.

‘I’ve known the couple and their daughter for a number of years, but have usually just dealt with Robert. Mary didn’t have much to do with the business and always stayed in the background. We’ve met up more frequently in recent months because the farm was racking up big losses and they were being forced to wind down the business and put the place up for sale. That’s why there’s no longer any livestock. What they had was sold to pay bills, including two much-loved sheepdogs. Robert was about to declare bankruptcy and I was helping him to deal with all the legal ramifications.’

‘So how much debt were they in?’ James asked.

‘It ran into many thousands of pounds. And it didn’t help that Robert had developed a gambling habit that only served to add to their financial woes.’

‘Did it affect him mentally, or perhaps cause friction between him and his wife?’

‘Oh, most definitely. I saw over time that it put a severe strain on their relationship. I came here about three weeks ago and they were having a huge row. I heard Mary accuse Robert of selling something without telling her in order to pay off some of his gambling debts. He was denying it. They were both really embarrassed when they realised I’d overheard them.’

‘Do you know if they had any enemies?’

‘I very much doubt it. They were a normal couple and they were facing the same problems as several of my other farming clients.’

‘What about the daughter, Charlotte? Do you know her well?’

Her swollen eyes were shiny now with unshed tears and her breathing faltered.

‘I gathered from what Robert told me that she was a bit of a handful. She mixed with the wrong crowd and there was talk of her getting involved with drugs. She didn’t live here with them, though. About six months ago she moved into her boyfriend’s flat in Kendal.’

‘Do you know who he is?’

‘Only that his name is Neil Savage. I’ve never met him.’

‘And do you know if this Neil – or anyone else – spent Christmas here at the farm?’

‘I’m afraid I don’t. I never got to have that conversation with Robert and Mary.’

James finished off by asking if she had contact details for the family’s next of kin.

‘They’ll be at the office. I know that Robert’s parents are both dead, but he has a brother living in Ireland. Mary’s father died some years ago and her mother is in a care home suffering from dementia, but she does have a sister who lives in France.’