‘Well, no one knows, but Crabby says she was absolutely matter-of-fact about it. According to him, Beth wasn’t depressed or suicidal, she was really upbeat about her discovery and what it meant.’

‘Mr Crabbs gave evidence about Dr Kinsella’s state of mind at the inquest, Mrs Hills. Admittedly he neglected to mention whatever astonishing discovery he now claims she’d made. But as there’s no evidence of its whereabouts, or come to that its existence, I’m afraid it doesn’t really materially change the facts of the case.’

Mark Stone clearly wasn’t interested in anything she had to say about either Beth Kinsella or her death.

Clare struggled to maintain an even tone in her voice. ‘But don’t you see? Even if Beth hadn’t discovered something that would stop the housing development, if other people thought she had, that would have made her a target.’

‘Are you trying to suggest that Dr Kinsella was murdered to prevent her from stopping the development being built?’ Mark Stone shook his head. ‘That really doesn’t make any sense, Mrs Hills. Beth Kinsella was working for the developer. And as far as I could establish at the time of her death, Paul Marshall’s money was the only thing between her and the job centre. If anyone other than Marshall had an interest in those houses being built, it was Beth Kinsella.’

Clare was all but pleading now. ‘But it doesn’t work like that. I’m in exactly the same position as Beth Kinsella was. And I have just discovered something that might very well stop the housing development going ahead.’

Mark Stone’s smile was a tad too beatific for Clare’s tastes. ‘And have you or your team been threatened in some way, Mrs Hills? Has something happened to make you believe that your life is in danger?’

‘Well, no. But there’s something else you need to know about Beth’s death.’

He drummed his jotter with his forefinger. She could see he was losing what little patience he had left.

‘It’s the hare.’

‘The hare.’ He raised his eyebrows.

She nodded. ‘The one that was found near Beth’s body. It shouldn’t have been there.’

He folded his arms again and inclined his head forward in anticipation of her great revelation. ‘Is that right?’

‘Yes. Beth told Crabby that she loved hares and she couldn’t understand how anyone could harm them. She would never have killed one.’