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waiting.
    ‘Was your father carrying a briefcase or notebook when he died?’
    ‘No. He had a small bag with him containing some of his clothes.’
    ‘What about his mobile phone?’
    ‘I…’
    ‘Christine, please,’ her partner urged, glaring at me.
    ‘One more thing. Do you know where I can find Sergeant Hammond? He used to work with your father,’ I explained when she looked at me a little blankly.
    Her face brightened. ‘He lives in Spain. He retired before Dad.’
    ‘Wasn’t he too young to retire?’ I asked surprised.
    ‘He won the lottery, or premium bonds, I think.’
    Her husband took her arm firmly. ‘Come on.’
    This time she didn’t protest. But before she had gone a couple of paces she turned back.
    ‘If you find out what Dad was doing, will you come and tell me?’
    I nodded. ‘Where do you live?’
    ‘Give him one of your business cards, Mark.’
    With a heavy sigh, Mark struggled for his pocket under his large dark-blue anorak and retrieved a tattered card, which he handed to me.
    I saw from it that he was a graphic designer.
    ‘If you remember anything else, or find anything that you think might be helpful, will you call me?’ It was my turn to scrabble for a piece of paper, which I found but I didn’t have a telephone so I wrote down Miles’s mobile number. ‘You can contact me through this. He’ll pass any message on to me.’
    She took it, thrust it in her pocket and headed for the car. I watched her climb into the sleek, black limousine and drive off. Then a fist gripped my shoulder. I stiffened before turning. I knew who it would be. The police.

CHAPTER 4
    I‘ think it’s time we had a chat, Alex. Detective Chief Inspector Crowder.’
    I would like to have refused but, judging by the man’s expression, I didn’t think I had much choice.
    ‘Shall we get out of this rain?’ Crowder said.
    His voice was surprisingly quiet for one so large. It was well cultured and caressing too, but it didn’t fool me. Underneath I knew was a hard bastard. He was wearing a Homburg and a huge macintosh that reached almost to his ankles; all he needed was a gun slung over his arm and a pair of Hunters to look as if he was out on a country shoot. Beside him was a thin man with a short rain jacket that barely covered his narrow backside; he had soaking wet trousers, and a rather bored expression on his lean face.
    ‘I’m wet already so it doesn’t make any difference,’ I said, hunching my shoulders and ramming my hands into the pockets of my jacket.
    ‘It does to me, Alex. Perhaps we can give you a lift somewhere.’ It wasn’t a question. A face like his was made to command.
    ‘The Isle of Wight?’ I ventured.
    Crowder’s smile didn’t touch his eyes. ‘I was thinking more in the way of the hovercraft.’
    It didn’t surprise me that he knew where I had come from. It wouldn’t have surprised me if he knew what I’d eaten for breakfast. Men like him knew everything.
    We walked towards his car in silence. The man with the narrow backside opened the rear door and I climbed in. There was little else I could do; besides it would save me the bus fare.
    ‘That is Sergeant Adams.’ Crowder pointed at the neck of the skinny man now in the driver’s seat. Adams’ eyes flicked to the rear view mirror and connected with mine. I raised my eyebrows in a kind of acknowledgement but got nothing in return. I hadn’t really expected it.
    Crowder removed his hat, revealing a luxuriant head of silver hair, which was swept back off his broad forehead. I stared at his taciturn face and cold assessing eyes and felt my stomach churn. I knew he would be an even more formidable adversary than Clipton.
    Crowder said, ‘You went to see Joe Bristow, why?’
    ‘You know why.’ That brought a smile of sorts to his lips.
    ‘I’ve been told you’re clever.’
    ‘Don’t think much of your informant then. I wasn’t clever enough to avoid DCI Clipton and prison,’ I replied acerbically.
    Silence for