‘Yes, I think so. Thanks for coming so quickly. Upstairs on the top floor, in my studio.’

Jason led them in, then allowed them to run up the stairs ahead of him, their reflections bouncing off the mirrored walls. ‘Next floor up,’ he shouted as they reached the landing.

As they hurried on up the spiral staircase to his studio, Emily came out of the bedroom in her dressing gown. ‘Thank God,’ she said, and followed Jason up.

On the top floor landing, he followed the officers into his studio, putting out a cautioning hand for Emily. The two officers stood in the centre of the room, looking around, puzzled.

There was no one there. Nothing looked disturbed. The easel was in the centre of the floor, as he had left it, with a fresh gesso board in place on it.

‘I – I just – just don’t believe it,’ he said.

‘All the windows are securely shut,’ the male officer said. ‘You say you heard someone up here, walking around?’

‘We did,’ Emily said. ‘We could hear them, loudly.’

‘May we take a look around?’ the male officer asked.

‘Please – anywhere.’

The police went downstairs. Jason and Emily followed them as they checked each of the first floor rooms, and all the cupboards and wardrobes in turn, both officers noting their partially open bedroom window. Then they searched the ground floor rooms, as well as the garage. Finally, they went out into the rear garden, separated and searched down each side of the house.

When they had finished, the four of them sat at the kitchen table, the male officer pulling out his electronic tablet and laying it on the table.

‘Would either of you like any tea or coffee?’ Emily asked.

‘We’re fine, thank you.’

‘There are no signs of a break-in,’ the woman PC said. ‘The only window open is in your bedroom.’

‘I – I – I’m sure the window was shut when we went to bed,’ Jason said. ‘I was woken by the sound of the wind and noticed it was open, earlier, so I closed it again.’ He shot a glance at Emily. ‘I thought I saw someone in the room.’

The male officer went back outside, with his torch, and returned a couple of minutes later. ‘There’s nothing anyone could have used to climb up to your bedroom, sir,’ he said. ‘And no footprints in the flower bed beneath the window.’

‘There was definitely someone walking around upstairs,’ Emily said. ‘We both heard it.’

‘This is a very new development, isn’t it?’ the male officer asked. ‘How long have you been living here?’

‘We only moved in last Friday,’ Jason replied.

‘We were here on Monday, there was a fatal accident,’ he said.

‘I witnessed it,’ Jason replied. ‘I left a message with the police on 101, but I haven’t heard anything more, yet.’

‘I’m sure someone will be in touch,’ the young woman said. Then she smiled. ‘I’ve just realized who you are – Jason Danes, the artist, famous for your dog paintings?’