The policeman shot Felix a patronising smile. ‘Sorry, son, but she’s pulled the wool over your eyes good and proper. They’re in cahoots together, well known to the police, the pair of them.’

‘No!’ said Suzie. ‘I’m not here with my dad. I came here …’ She got no further before the man whom she had warned about pickpockets spoke up on her behalf.

‘She really isn’t, officer, it was this young lady who warned me of pickpockets. I overheard the whole thing.’

Looking confused, Charlie cocked an eyebrow as he studied Suzie’s face for any sign of trickery. ‘If you’re not here with him then why are you here? Bit of a coincidence, don’t you think?’

Suzie nodded. ‘I know how it looks, but I was going to get a train to see a girl I know. Her name’s Roz, and this …’ she jerked her head at Felix, ‘… is her boyfriend. She’s staying on a farm in Betwys-y-Coed.’

‘That cow!’ sneered Callum. ‘What the hell do you wanna see her for—’

He broke off as Charlie rushed to stop Felix from giving Callum a well-deserved clout. ‘Now, now, we’ll have none of that.’

‘He shouldn’t talk about her like that,’ growled Felix.

‘Maybe not, but I’d rather concentrate on the matter in hand, so if you don’t mind …’ The policeman turned to Suzie. ‘Am I to believe that you don’t live with your father any more? I know your …’ he paused whilst he tried to find the right words to describe the room which the Haggartys had occupied, ‘… home was bombed, but I took it for granted that you’d all moved elsewhere.’

She shook her head. ‘I haven’t got a clue where he went, and Gran died in the bombing.’

‘Where were you?’ said Charlie, wrinkling an eyebrow.

Drawing a deep breath and taking no pride in what she was about to say, Suzie began to tell the policeman everything that happened that fatal night.

Callum paled, and he was starting to back away, hoping to make a run for it, when he inadvertently stepped on the toes of the man behind him, who cried out and pushed him forward into Charlie who, realising his intentions, swiftly cuffed him.

‘Oh no you don’t,’ said Charlie. Holding Callum by his elbow, he continued to talk to Suzie. ‘Go on.’

Callum lunged at his daughter, in a bid to silence her. ‘Shut your bleedin’ trap!’ he roared, before turning to those gathered around. ‘She’s lyin’! I wouldn’t do that …’

‘Then why was the old woman on her own?’ called a voice from the back of the crowd.

Callum’s eyes darted around as he tried to think of a reasonable excuse as to why he’d left his mother on her own, but with nothing coming to mind, and the hangman’s noose looming, he fought desperately to break free from Charlie. But Charlie, being both stronger and younger than Callum, merely tightened his grip, and called to Cyril – another policeman – for assistance.