I was about to apologise for Roy when the woman said “You’re where you want to be.”

It could have been a question bereft of approval. Since her attention had settled on fragments of plastic she was tearing out of the hedge, I said “We won’t distract you any further.”

“I’m not distracted at all. I’m not entirely worn down yet,” she said and glared at the tower block. “I’m advising you you’re in the correct place. The lady fell from block five.”

“Well, thank you.” As she lowered her eyes to her thorny task I said “Roy, let’s have a closer look.”

We’d turned away by the time the woman said “Don’t you care to hear anything further?”

Roy swung around at once. “Whatever you’ve got.”

In case she found his eagerness impolite I said “Please, by all means.”

“I saw your aunt make her way up the building. I only wish I’d realised something must be wrong and contacted the authorities in time.”

Rather too much like my son I said “What are you saying was wrong?”

“I should tell you first of all the place was derelict. Some of us had been complaining for years to the council, but they simply allowed it to run down. It wasn’t even made secure, and all the local louts were using it for mischief. Every window smashed, and fires on half the floors. I’ve no doubt there were drugs and rutting too. Why would anybody like your aunt seek out such a place?”

“Dad thinks she was after ideas.”

“She would have had to be desperate. I fear she was.”

With some care I said “Can you say why?”

“I can, yes.” Having paused to make it plain she found my form of words uncouth, the woman said “Why else would she have struggled all that way up to the roof?”

“Isn’t there a lift?” Roy said.

“All those had been vandalised.” Almost entirely to me the woman said “I saw her go in by herself, but I heard her talking on the stairs.”

“Maybe she was on her phone.”

“She didn’t have it with her, Roy, unless it was stolen afterwards. There’s no evidence she made a call. Certainly nobody came forward.”

The woman at the hedge cleared her throat, a sharp shrill sound. “I’m sorry if you think I should have.”

Before I could respond more gently Roy demanded “Why didn’t you?”

“Perhaps I was ashamed of failing to intervene.” Just as defiantly the woman said “Or perhaps I didn’t care to sully her reputation after I learned who she was.”

“So who would she have been talking to?” I said.

“It must have been herself, I fear. I was surprised she could even find the breath when she had so much to carry.”

I felt infected with surprise. “What was she carrying?”