‘Can you think of any reason your brother would be in Exeter?’ Imogen said.

‘He used to work there until about six months ago.’

‘Where does he work now?’ Imogen said.

‘He’s an Assistant Site Manager for the Sigma construction company. He’s working on a flat development on the front in Weymouth.’

‘Does he have any close friends we can talk to? Someone who might be able to shed some light on your brother’s activities?’ Imogen said.

‘He’s worked with a guy called Leon Quick for the last couple of years; Leon got him the job at Sigma after he left the last place.’

‘Thank you very much, Miss Merton. Again, we are sorry for your loss and we will let you know as soon as we have any information for you. Is there anyone you need us to call to come and be with you?’ Adrian said.

‘Thank you, DS Miles, I can call my neighbour, don’t worry,’ she said, arms folded as they walked to the door.

Chapter Nineteen

I gain entrance to the house by the patio door, which is always left unlocked. I go to the shower and wash the smell of hospital off me. I add make-up and put on a dress. Then I go into the kitchen and start dinner. He gets home and hangs his coat up. When he smells the food cooking, he’ll know I am back. The table is laid and there is a cup of tea waiting for him, his newspaper to the side of it. Everything is just the way he likes it.

He walks in and kisses me on the forehead. He tells me he knew I would be back before sitting at the table with his cup of tea and the paper. I tip the carrots into the pan of water and we both carry on as though we live a perfectly normal life.

Chapter Twenty

Imogen and Adrian walked into Simon Glover’s flat. It was a nice place looking out towards the horizon, probably quite pricey. But it was empty. Bed stripped, no electricals or soft furnishings, no sign of human habitation. The walls had been freshly painted, the doors and woodwork, too. It smelled clean, too, but not polish clean, bleach clean, ammonia clean, sterile and medical. Unnatural. It looked like it had just been built.

‘We should call this in before we look around,’ Imogen said.

‘Presumably, Fiona Merton has no idea that Glover’s flat is like this. She would have said something if he was moving out.’

‘Unless he didn’t tell her,’ Adrian said, shrugging.

He could be right; they already knew Glover kept secrets from his sister.

‘Where are all of his clothes? His things? Did he do this?’ Adrian said.

‘You think this is the crime scene?’

‘I would put money on it.’

‘If that’s the case, then this has been professionally cleaned, which is concerning,’ Imogen said.

‘Concerning, how?’