But James Hampton interrupts. ‘That’s not right. That isn’t what happened. It was Dylan who broke it off. I didn’t know what to do with Hollie, after, and when he died, she went to pieces. I was really worried about her. For a while, I thought she was going to do what he’d done.’

I stare at him, speechless. ‘Andrew Buckley told me Hollie ended it. Can you think of any reason why he might have lied?’

‘Buckley.’ As he says the word, hatred fills his eyes. ‘You can’t believe anything that man says. But if he lied, you can bet there was a reason for it.’

‘But you don’t know what that is?’

He shakes his head, the rage in his eyes now gone. His daughter is dead. So is his wife. It’s as though James Hampton has decided his life is over, too.

*

‘Buckley told me Hollie screwed up his son, Dylan, when she ended their relationship. But according to James Hampton, it was Dylan who called it off,’ I tell the DI. ‘Buckley definitely lied.’

The DI looks at me sharply. ‘You don’t think it’s Hampton who’s lying?’

‘I don’t think he is. And his version would explain what Hollie wrote on Dylan’s Facebook page – all the love messages she sent him – she poured her heart out.’

He’s silent for a moment. ‘Buckley’s in the interview room with his lawyer. He’s raging to get out of here today, so we need to break the news he won’t be leaving. Are you ready?’

*

After being held overnight, Andrew Buckley isn’t his usual immaculately groomed self. When he sees us, he immediately stands. ‘This better not have cost me my job,’ he says menacingly.

‘Sit down, Doctor Buckley.’ The DI pulls out a chair. ‘Mr McClure, I suggest you inform your client that the fastest way through this is for him to quickly and accurately answer our questions. Right. Shall we begin?’ He glances at me.

I wait until there’s quiet before addressing Andrew Buckley. ‘We have a witness who overheard a conversation you had with your son—’

His eyes glint at me as he interrupts. ‘My son’s dead, Detective Sergeant. There’s no mileage in this.’

‘Doctor Buckley, let me finish. You were overheard using abusive language. You told him you were ashamed of him and it would be better for everyone if he was dead. It wasn’t long after that, that he killed himself.’ He opens his mouth to speak, but before he can get a word in, I ask, ‘Why did you lie to us about Hollie ending the relationship with your son? It was Dylan who broke it off, wasn’t it?’

‘Look, this has absolutely no relevance to what’s happening now.’