She’d decided against conventional interview technique, and was instead going for the jugular. They already knew Arthur had lied to them, and she wanted to catch him off-guard from the start.

‘You told us you came back to the UK because you heard Roger had died. Is that right?’ she asked.

‘Yes.’

‘So why were you seen at the yard, arguing with Roger, days before his death?’

The colour began to drop from Arthur’s face. ‘Well, I dunno. Someone must be mistaken.’

‘Okay. So why does the Wisteria Hotel have a record of you being in the country and staying with them before Roger died? In fact, you were here on the night he was murdered, weren’t you?’

‘Umm. Look, this isn’t what it seems, I can promise you.’

‘You might as well just tell us the truth, Arthur. It’s much quicker and cheaper than me having to pick up the phone to UK Border Control.’

Arthur let out a huge sigh. ‘Alright. Yes, I was here. But that still doesn’t mean I did anything. Look, I didn’t know I was going to inherit the company. I had no clue about that at all until the lawyer got in touch. I don’t even want the bloody thing, anyway. What do I know about construction? That’s not my game.’

‘On that note, why did you come back to the UK?’ Caroline asked.

Arthur closed his eyes. ‘Because I’d run out of money. The bar business went tits up. I thought I could rely on my family for a bit. Thought they might at least be willing to help me out. But Roger pretty much told me to piss off. Said he had no intention of helping me out. That’s what he was like.’

‘But you’re financially stable now you’ve got the company, aren’t you?’

‘Honestly? I don’t know. Maybe, maybe not. But I swear, I had no idea I was even in line for it.’

‘So why would Roger leave you the business but not want to lend you any money when things went sour for you in Spain?’

‘I have no bloody idea. I wish I knew. The only thing I can think of is he was respecting the family’s wishes. Grandad’s wishes. He wouldn’t have wanted the business to leave the family, and he definitely wouldn’t want it going to a leech like Alice.’

‘The leech whose house you chose to stay at?’

‘Briefly. Like I say, I’m brassic. The hotel bill’s going on what’s left of my credit card, and even that’s creaking.’

‘I’ve got to say, Arthur, it’s not quite adding up. Pardon the pun. Did you kill Roger in a fit of rage? You’d had to leave Spain when your business went to the wall, and your own brother wouldn’t lend you a helping hand.’