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didn’t satisfy his younger daughter. With all the passion of youth, she wrenched herself from her mother’s embrace and stalked to  the centre of the room to confront her father. ‘Come on, Dad. Don’t pretend that Chandra was in deep mourning for Magan. The last time I saw her was at his funeral and she seemed dry-eyed enough then. But that doesn’t mean that she wasn’t lonely, especially after the way those Bansis treated her. But no, we left her all alone in that dreary flat. You, who are all the time going on about the strength of the family. Where were we when she needed her family the most? You wouldn’t let me babysit. You wouldn’t even let Mum or Gran babysit and I still don’t understand why.’
                  Kamala was tall, nearly as tall as her father. Rathi Khan seemed to shrink as if intimidated by this barely teenage Valkyrie he had nurtured. But he rallied sufficiently to answer her. ‘You know your Grandmother’s not well. She couldn’t babysit. And your mother had her duties looking after her. She—’
                  ‘Gran’s your mother. Why couldn’t you look after her for a change? It’s not as if there’s much wrong with her anyway and she adores the baby, but she’s barely seen her since she’s been here. I don’t think Gran understands any more than I do.’
                  ‘That’s just it — you don’t understand. Haven’t I told you that your Grandmother’s nerves are all in a jangl?. She’s of an age to suffer difficult problems. You know how Leela cried and cried yet you expected your Grandmother to cope with that for hours on end.’
                  ‘Oh.’ This seemed to bring Kamala up short. ‘Are you trying to say that Gran’s going through the change?’ For a moment, all her youthful certainty faded. But, young as she was, she quickly rallied. ‘My friend Annie’s Gran sailed through it. A course of HRT would set Gran right.’
                  Her father looked taken aback. ‘What do you know of these matters, girl?’
                  ‘More than you, probably, Dad,’ was Kamala’s quick reply.
                  ‘Enough of this. How dare you speak to your father like so? You shame us in front of these people. Go to your room.’ Kamala’s Grandfather intervened, his voice harsh, the tone that of someone used to being obeyed.
                  For a moment a transfixed Kamala looked as if she might defy her forbidding Grandfather, but then, he broke into a rapid Hindi. Whatever he said had the desired effect. For after flinging one desperate, anguished look at her mother, Kamala fled the room, her tears echoing back at them from the vaulted entrance hall before she slammed into her bedroom and banged the door.
                  There was an embarrassed silence after her abrupt departure. But within a few moments, Mr Khan Senior had broken it. ‘I apologise for my granddaughter,’ he said to Casey. ‘You should send her out to us in India,’ he told his son. ‘There she would learn how to behave so she does not bring such shame upon us. Remember the family, my son,’ he sternly rebuked Rathi Khan. ‘How many times must I remind you of its importance?’
                  Casey thought it was time they left the family to it. After the abrupt departure of the outspoken Kamala, the rest of the family seemed shaken and subdued and unlikely to reveal anything more. They were entitled to some privacy, anyway. After uttering more condolences, Casey told the family they would let themselves out. He nodded to Catt and WPC Singh, They made for the front door and shut it quietly behind them.

Chapter Five
    They had just reached the car when Dan Khan opened the front door and walked towards them, his small daughter still in his arms. ‘Wait, Inspector.’
                  Casey stood by the car door. He wondered what further