We know nothing about your father, David. Is he still alive?'

His face seemed to harden slightly. No. He died in a car accident in August. But he and Mum had been apart for years, and we never saw him. He wasn't our favourite person. I don't really want to talk about him at the moment. Donna and I hated him. If he'd still been alive he's the first person I would have pointed you towards. So can we change the subject?'

He had become quite agitated, so Sophie asked him about his job. He was worried about the effect of the economic downturn on the delivery company he worked for. As for his personal life, he wasn't currently in a relationship. He had broken up with his last girlfriend when she returned to her home in Norway. Apparently neither of them was unduly upset.

Did you know about Donna's leg fracture?' Sophie asked.

Mum told me about it. I think it was last winter. It was just a normal fracture, that's what she said. And that she did it playing hockey.'

Was this before she moved to Swanage?'

Yes. I think she was living in Bournemouth at the time. I hadn't seen her for ages. Mum said she appeared on her doorstep without any warning, hobbling on a crutch and with her leg in plaster. She said that she'd been in a lot of pain. She was in a cast for a few weeks.'

Do you know where she was treated? Was it in Bournemouth?'

He shook his head. No idea. She hadn't registered with a doctor there. She was still with our old family doctor up here.'

Yet she'd been living in Bournemouth for some time?'

More than a year, I think. I didn't see her for a long time. She almost dropped out of our lives, and that includes Mum, who didn't live far away.'

Do you know why?'

It was a bit odd. I thought that the three of us would stay in touch, even though I was still in Birmingham. I still saw Mum when I could, but it was as if Donna had gone into hiding. The only other time I've seen her was when I stayed in August. I hoped that we could start to get close again, just like when we were growing up.'

What about your father? I know you said that you didn't want to talk about him, but at some time I will need to find out from you where he fits into all of this. If you really want to leave it until tomorrow, I'll understand.'

You may as well know. He was a bastard. He was the cause of it all. He used to beat my mother up. And he used to knock us about, too. I put up with it until I was about seventeen and about to leave home after I got a job. Then I thumped him back, and walked out. I never saw him again, I'm glad to say. Mum left soon after. It was harder for Donna. She was the apple of his eye when he was sober, but he used to hit her when he was drunk. They were bad times. Thank God they're over.'

He suddenly realised what he'd said, and looked shocked. I didn't mean that. Oh God, what a mess.'

Don't worry. Your reaction is very understandable, and maybe I pushed you a bit hard. Would you like us to stop for a coffee or food? I think there's a service area a few miles ahead.'

He nodded.

This must be a difficult thing for you to have to do,' Goodenough said as they sipped their coffees. I mean this part of your job. Visiting relatives of victims, and breaking bad news to them.'

It's not easy, as you say. But it helps us to build up a picture of the person's background.' She took another sip. This has been particularly difficult, with the double murder of your closest relatives. I really feel for you. I felt like I was walking on glass when I first broke the news to you. It must have been heart-rending to hear it.'

I still can't take it in. I still think that you must have made a mistake somewhere, that it won't be them, or maybe not both of them. But I know that's not likely. I think you've handled it the best you could.'

Sophie nodded her thanks. She checked her mobile phone for messages. Barry Marsh reported that the meeting with McGreedie had been fairly routine, with no new information. Lydia Pillay's message said that she had managed to arrange her visit to Bournemouth in the morning to interview hospital staff. She hoped to be back by midday. Sophie walked a short way from the table and phoned McGreedie.

Hi, Kevin. Listen, can we meet sometime tomorrow, fairly urgently?' There was a pause. Mid-morning would be fine. Yes, come across to us in Swanage if you like. There are a couple of things that have been niggling me. It would also give you an opportunity to see Berzins, our suspect. I'd like your views on him. See you then.'

It was late evening by the time they arrived back in Swanage. Marsh was waiting for them outside Donna's flat.

Do you have a key?' Sophie asked.

Goodenough shook his head. Marsh unlocked the door and Donna's brother went in, moving slowly through to the lounge. The two detectives followed him.

It seems as if it's lost its soul,' he said.

Everything is pretty much as we found it. DS Marsh here can get a doctor across if you think you need one. You'll still be in shock.'

Goodenough shook his head.

Okay, but could you do a really quick check of the photos, just to confirm what's missing?'

He made his way through the silent rooms. Family portraits,' he said. A couple in each room.'

But why would they have gone missing?' asked Sophie. I'm puzzled. I can only suppose they might have helped us trace you earlier.'

Donna always wrote on the back of her photos. She'd list the people, and the date and where it was taken.'

Sophie spoke quietly to Marsh. That's probably why all of the photos are gone. Maybe our man was worried that he was named on the back of a picture somewhere. He didn't have time to check them all so he took the lot. He must have had a holdall or something with him. Yet the neighbours didn't hear or see anything?'

No. The top-floor flat is a holiday home, apparently. They're not in it very often once the summer is over.'

We'll get Jimmy to trace them tomorrow, Barry. Just in case they were here, and saw something. It would be stupid not to check. If we could just find a clue as to what time it was ransacked, it would help a lot.'

Why's that, ma'am?'

Berzins finished work at ten thirty and apparently didn't hurry out. Donna finished at eleven sharp. If Berzins killed her, he would have had to search the flat after the murder. There just wasn't time before, particularly with the need to get that street lamp sabotaged - and smoke two cigarettes while waiting on the path. If we find it was searched before the murder, then it wasn't him, and we're barking up the wrong tree.'

They dropped David Goodenough at a nearby guest house. They arranged with him to carry out a similar inspection of the cottage at Corfe sometime the following day. Then they discussed the initial post-mortem findings on Brenda Goodenough and Susie Pater. Apart from the obvious marks left by the strangulation, neither showed any other signs of physical abuse. There had been no signs of recent sexual activity in either case, but Brenda did have traces of an anti-depressant in her blood-stream. She also showed signs of cirrhosis of the liver, something that is consistent with long-term alcohol abuse.

CHAPTER 7: More Puzzles.

Thursday Morning, Week 1 Martin was drawing back the bedroom curtains. He'd already deposited a mug of tea on her bedside table, but she hadn't woken until the sound of his voice and the scraping of the curtain-rings filtered through her dreams.

He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

Come on, sweetheart. Time to wake up.'

Oh, Martin, I didn't even know you'd got up. I was sound asleep.'

No need to tell me. I had noticed, you know. It's nearly eight, so I need to be off. I left you to lie in a little longer than you asked. You're in danger of wearing yourself out.'

No, I'm okay. Really. I'd tell you if it was getting to me. But thanks anyway, you're a star.' She sipped the tea. Busy day today?' she asked.

Moderate, but maybe not by your standards.'

Well I'm usually only dealing with one or two people at a time, not a roomful of resentful teenagers. And your life is consistently busy. Mine veers between the frenetic and the very calm. I'll try to be in for dinner tonight. Okay?'

Lovely. I'll get something tasty on the go for us. Phone me when you're setting out. Bye!'

He blew her a kiss from the doorway. Sophie finished her tea, and left the house, heading to the police station before collecting David Goodenough.

The pathologist had emailed through a copy of his full post-mortem report on Donna Goodenough. Sophie quickly skimmed through the long text, picking out the main points. She decided not to share these with the rest of the team for the time being. There were one or two details that required careful thought, and a couple of the items needed checking with Kevin McGreedie.

She walked through to the main incident room to check for new information. Lydia Pillay had already left for her visit to the hospital in Bournemouth where Donna had been treated for her leg injury. She wasn't expected back until late in the day. Sophie had asked her to drive to the Midlands in order to visit Donna's GP in Walsall once she'd finished at the hospital. Jimmy Melsom was on the phone to Berzins' mobile network provider, trying to extract information about the call made on the morning of the murder. Sophie couldn't hear exactly what he was saying, but his voice sounded rather more forceful than on the previous day. Maybe he'd make better headway today. Other people were cross-checking details against data held in the police central system or writing up reports on the house-to-house inquiries. The room had a satisfying bustle. Barry Marsh walked in.

Morning, Barry. The place is a hive of activity. How are you?'

Fine, ma'am. I've got a couple of people following up on the owners of the other flats in Donna's block. We've got a name and address for the top-floor people, so we should be able to talk to them soon. I've put a team out on a house-to-house in Gilbert Road. When you mentioned how important the time was, it occurred to me that other neighbours might have seen or heard something. They can be a bit of a nosey lot round here, you know.'

Good idea. God knows where the police would be if it wasn't for nosey neighbours. Well, it's probably time we were off to collect David Goodenough. I'd like to know your thoughts about him, so stay watchful please.'

You think he could be involved somehow?'

Look how much he has to gain. He'll presumably pick up the proceeds from the sale of the two properties. The total value can't be much less than half a million, given house prices in this area. Something to think about, isn't it? We should check the details of the father's death in that car accident. It must be on record somewhere. Could you set one of the local people onto it?'

The two detectives had another short tour of the flat before collecting Donna's brother, this time checking the views from the windows. The kitchen and lounge at the rear of the apartment looked over houses in nearby streets, but from the windows of the main bedroom at the front Sophie was able to see over the station and clinic rooftops, beyond to the Spring Hill path.

Barry, I can see the top section of the path from these windows. The lower section is hidden by the station roof and the health clinic. It may not be important, but it's worth noting.'

Marsh came over to have a look. The back of the old hotel building where Donna had worked could be seen on the skyline, looming over the top of the Spring Hill footpath.

You'd need good eyesight or a pair of binoculars, even in daylight, to see any detail. At night you wouldn't be able to see anything. But it must have been convenient for her, easy to get to and from the hotel for her shifts.'

Did you get the impression that Goodenough was holding back on something when we were here last night? It was when I asked about the photos.'

Not really, ma'am. But then I'd only met him a few minutes previously. You and Jimmy were with him all evening.'

They walked the two hundred yards to Goodenough's hotel. He looked much better than he had the previous evening.

We were just admiring the view from Donna's flat,' said Sophie. It's lovely in the front rooms. They must get the sun all day.'

Yes. Donna was thinking of rearranging the rooms, but hadn't got around to making a start. It's broadly just left the way Gran had it. The kitchen has been decorated, but that's as far as Donna got. Apparently she did chuck out a lot of Gran's old furniture, and other stuff that was cluttering up the place.'

Didn't it bother you that Donna was left the flat when your grandmother died?'

Not really. She left me some money, and Donna promised me to even up the amounts when Mum's cottage was left to us.'

That wouldn't have been for some time, surely?'

Mum wasn't a well woman, Chief Inspector. She developed a heart weakness some years ago.'

Mr Goodenough, is there anything else that I should know about the family? Anything at all that could shed light on these awful events?'

He shook his head.

Apart from the situation with your father, the rest of you had normal relationships - where you supported each other?'

Yes. That's a good way of describing it.'

They set off for Dorchester. Sophie drove, with Goodenough sitting in the passenger seat. Marsh sat in the back seat behind Sophie, to observe Donna's brother during the forty minute drive.

I know it's not an ideal time to ask, David, but it would be really helpful if you could tell us anything else you remember about Donna's relationship with your father, particularly over the past year or so. Did you talk about him at all when you saw her earlier in the year?'

Not in terms of Donna seeing him. As I said, he died in August. We did talk about what he'd left us, but it was almost nothing. He went to pieces after Mum left him, and drank away his money, as far as we could tell.'

Wasn't there any property left?'

Mum left after Donna went to university, and the house was sold. They split the money and Mum put her share towards the cottage in Corfe. As far as I know, he ended up living in and out of hostels for the homeless once he'd drunk and gambled his way through his share.'

In Birmingham?'

I can't tell you where. I never bothered to find out. He was out of our lives by then, I'm glad to say.'

Was there a funeral?'

I suppose there must have been one, but we didn't find out in time. We had no idea where he was and, quite honestly, didn't want to know.'

So he died a few months after the time Donna was nursing her leg injury?'

Yes. She had her leg in a cast until mid-April, as far as I can remember.'

How did you find out about his death?' Sophie said.

We had a letter from someone who knew him. Apparently he'd been knocked down while living on the streets. By then he was a raving alcoholic and homeless, as I said. Look, can we change the subject?'

Of course. The reason I've asked about this is because of the scars that Donna had. We could see that she'd been the victim of abuse. But I'm sorry if my questions have upset you.'

I didn't think she was still in touch with him. I thought it was all over years ago, when she left for university.'

Where was that?'

She went to Bournemouth. She told me that her school felt she could have done better and studied economics at one of the top places, but she decided to stay close to her family. I suppose I did the same sort of thing when I got a job in the Midlands when I left school. Mum was still at home then. Donna was always close to Gran, so going to Bournemouth made sense. She could pop across to Swanage on the bus for the day if she felt like it.'

Donna didn't complete her degree, did she? Do you know the reason?'

I never found out, and neither did Mum. Donna refused to talk about it. She would just walk out of the room if we asked too much. But I do know that there was a long period when she disappeared from our lives completely. For more than a year she only spoke to Mum on the phone. They never met up.'