Eventually, the sobs subsided. Angelina stood up and walked unsteadily across the kitchen to get a box of tissues from one of the work surfaces. She blew her nose and dried her eyes.

‘Sorry, Inspector Hunter. I lost control for a minute.’

‘Please don’t worry. It’s completely understandable. I’m probably the last person you want to be with right now. Can I call anyone for you?’

Angelina’s eyes filled with tears once more. ‘When you said that, I immediately thought you should call Julian, because he would be there for me, but then . . .’ Angelina bit her lip in an effort to prevent the tears. ‘I remembered . . .’

‘What about your mother or father? You might want someone to help you with Rory just for a few days.’

‘Oh God, Rory! Poor Rory. He never even knew Julian. He’ll wonder why on earth his mother’s so upset, and he’s been through so much. What do I say to him, Inspector? Do I tell him?’

‘Angelina, that’s up to you to decide. Rory didn’t know Julian, so the upside is at least he won’t have to go through the bereavement process.’

‘Yes. I’ll call my mother. She and Rory are close.’ Angelina nodded.

‘Mrs Millar . . . Angelina, I know this is so hard for you, but could you cope with talking me through the last conversation you and Julian had on Tuesday night?’

Angelina was pacing, screwing sodden tissues into a ball with her hands. ‘I don’t know, I really don’t.’

‘You see, the more you can tell me about that night, the faster we might be able to find out who did this.’

‘But there’s nothing to tell.’

‘Julian didn’t seem in any way agitated or distressed when you spoke to him?’

‘He wasn’t happy I was asking him to stay in Norwich at his flat overnight because of Rory being at home. Oh God, would it have been different if I said he could come home? Would he be dead now? Is it my fault?!’

‘No, of course not. We’re pretty sure Julian didn’t make it back to his flat either. Something, or someone, happened to stop him. Can you remember what time it was that you spoke to him?’

‘Yes, it was around six forty-five. I only know because Rory was watching The Simpsons.’

‘Does Julian often work late at the office?’

‘Sometimes, but . . . oh yes, I remember. On the Tuesday morning, before he left . . . the last time I ever saw him . . . he said that even if he did come back here, he’d be late as he had a client seeing him at seven that evening.’

Jazz took her notepad from her handbag and began to scribble. ‘Was that usual? To see clients out of office hours?’

‘Yes, occasionally. Julian was very dedicated to his career and the people he looked after.’ Angelina nodded. ‘I’m sorry, Inspector, but I feel faint. I . . . I can’t answer any more questions. I need to go and lie down.’