"I'm sorry," Justin said, indicating the fireplace, "but my mother feels the cold. Even in June."
"It's not June, silly boy," Janet said, shaking her head. "Look out there." She gestured towards the bay window. "Autumn if ever it was."
Her son inclined his head, offering Tom an almost imperceptible shake of the head to imply it wasn't worth arguing the point.
"So, you've made headway in the case I understand?" Justin said, sitting down next to his mother. "Have you arrested someone?"
"I believe an arrest is imminent, yes," Tom said.
"Oh, I see," Justin replied, his brow furrowing in confusion. "I thought you said on the telephone you'd already made an arrest."
"I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. We have, only it was in another murder case."
"The man in Cley?" Justin said, his eyes flicking to his mother.
Tom nodded. "That's correct. A man by the name of Liam Hansell has confessed to the murder."
"The man from the renewable company?" Janet asked. Tom nodded and she casually tapped a finger against the back of her son's hand. "You see, I told you he was a wrong-un."
Justin didn't respond to her, seemingly ignoring her comment. Instead, he focussed on Tom. "But… only to the murder in Cley?"
"Correct."
"And… do you think he was involved in Aunt Mary's death?"
"No, we don't believe so," Tom said. Janet appeared puzzled; Justin more wary.
"Then… pardon me," Justin said, "but what is the development you wished to tell us about?"
Tom sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I'm afraid we're talking at cross purposes again. We're looking to resolve a few things in our timeline that will probably lead to understanding just what happened to Mary."
Janet exchanged a glance with her son. Justin spread his hands wide. "Whatever we can do to help, obviously."
"Great," Tom said. "First off, can you clarify your movements on the night your aunt's body was found out at Blakeney Point?"
Justin's eyes widened and he looked between Tom and Cassie, then at his mother, who appeared just as puzzled.
"On the night she was found?"
Tom nodded. "Yes. After I visited the scene, I came here to speak with your mother. You arrived shortly after, as I recall."
Justin sat open-mouthed, his eyes drifting up to the ceiling. "Yes. I think that was right. But I don't really see—"
"Just bear with me, if you don't mind."
"Okay," Justin said, taking a deep breath and sitting upright. "I… was at home, I believe, when I got the call. I hurried over as soon as I could. Why?"
"That's interesting. I was out at the crime scene with the forensic officers until late in the evening. My colleagues had already visited your mother to notify her of the discovery." Tom indicated Janet, sitting alongside her son with her hands clasped tightly together in her lap. "A family liaison officer was also already in place, well before I arrived here that night. And yet, you were not here. Why did it take you so long to attend?"
Justin shifted in his seat, his frown deepening. "I don't recall. But, as I said, I was at home and I have a life, Inspector. I can't be the only person who isn't immediately available when a call comes in. I came over as soon as I could."
"Fair enough," Tom said, smiling. "No doubt your wife, Miriam isn't it, will be able to confirm that?"
"I… I'm sure—"
"Good, I'm sure DCI Greave will be asking her that very question as we speak."
"What… you are at my home?"
"Oh, yes. Those developments we were talking about, but I'll come to that. I'd really like to know what your car was doing parked at the old harbour in Cley that night? A red Volkswagen Golf, isn't it?"
"Yes. Yes, it is."
"Bought locally?" Tom asked. Justin nodded, confused. "Thought so. It's interesting that car dealers receive a block of registration numbers for their new batch of vehicles, meaning the number plates not only start with the same regional prefix but the rest of the index can be very similar to others arriving on the road at the same time. There will be a number of Volkswagens with similar plates hitting the road simultaneously." Tom glanced at Cassie, inclining his head. "Meaning people can easily get confused when they see the same model of car in the same place on the same day but, crucially, with a slightly different range of letters and numbers. If it's dark and you're busy… it's an easy mistake to make." He could tell Cassie was suppressing a smile.
Justin scoffed. "But… why on earth would you think I was in Cley that night?"
"To see what we were doing out at Blakeney Point," Tom said, fixing him with a stare. "It must have come as quite a shock when you heard a body had been found at the entrance to the harbour. You must have thought your aunt's body was well out into the North Sea by then, seeing as you dropped her body in the water the previous night."
Justin met Tom's stare. "This is absurd—"
"No, it's quite logical when you break it down."
"This is preposterous! What possible motive could I have for doing such a thing?"
"One of the classic motivations that leads to murder, Mr Howell – money. You said it yourself the night we first met; your family have always been very traditional in their outlook whether in regard to relationships or inheritance. As the eldest born child, Mary inherited the family estate. Your mother was welcomed back into the family home by her sister, your aunt, otherwise she would have been destitute." Tom looked at Janet who stared down, fumbling with her fingers in her lap. "With Mary approaching her later years and suffering with terminal cancer - an illness that neither of you saw fit to mention to us - unmarried and childless, I wonder when you began to think about where
