This surprised James, and from the look on Abbott’s face it surprised her too.

Libby finished what she was drinking and placed the mug on the small table next to her.

‘Detective Constable Abbott told me you came here to update me on the investigation,’ she said. ‘It doesn’t appear from the television news that you’ve made much progress, but Dad rang late last night to say that Doug Hannigan was a suspect now as well as Rachel’s mysterious boyfriend.’

‘You’ve spoken to your parents then?’

‘Only my dad. Mum wouldn’t come to the phone. He wanted me to know that, unlike her, he doesn’t hold me in any way responsible for what happened, even though I do. So, is it true about Hannigan? Dad told me about the birthday card and the photos that Rachel sent to the paper.’

James explained why they had interviewed Hannigan, but pointed out that he had an alibi and had been ruled out as a suspect.

‘I only met him a couple of times and I never got what Rachel saw in him.’

‘Did you tell her that when they were together?’ James asked.

‘No way. She would have told me I was jealous and it would have caused a row.’

‘Are you aware that Mr Hannigan is now in a relationship with Erika Chan, the wedding coordinator at The Fells?’

She narrowed her eyes at him, clearly surprised.

‘I didn’t know that, but she seems a nice person and so I hope it works out for them long term.’

James decided it was time to raise the subject of the WhatsApp message that Rachel sent to her. But first he asked Libby when she was expecting her husband back.

‘I don’t know,’ she replied. ‘He called a meeting of his board of directors to discuss the impact of what’s happened on the business and how they might limit the damage. Loads of bookings have already been cancelled apparently.’

‘I expect that will only be a short-term issue,’ James said. ‘And the fact that Mr Murphy isn’t here might make it easier for you to answer my next question. It relates to the last message you received from your sister before she was killed. We’ve now accessed her mobile phone and seen it on her WhatsApp log. So, can you tell us what she was referring to when she said she wasn’t going to keep your sordid secret?’

Libby expelled a loud sigh and hung her head.

‘I was hoping you wouldn’t find that,’ she said. ‘But before I explain what led to it, would you please promise me that you won’t show it to my husband?’

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

James made it clear to Libby that he had no intention of showing the WhatsApp message to Greg at this stage.

He then took out his notebook so that he could remind her, and himself, of exactly what Rachel wrote.

‘You disgust me, Libby,’ he said, reading from the note he’d made. ‘I’m not going to keep your sordid secret so make the most of today. And tell that slimy bastard Ethan that if he ever lays a hand on me again, I’ll have him put away.’