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Should fetch a good price. Anyway, when she was looking over it this woman found a body.’
    ‘And Inspector Connell wants you to help?’ asked Libby, excited. ‘See! I told you we could do it.’
    ‘No, no, Lib. She wants to know about the theatre and her relatives. She didn’t know anything about them.’
    ‘So what made Connell suggest you?’
    Fran shrugged. ‘Connections with local theatre? Keep me out of trouble? I don’t know.’
    ‘An excuse to keep in touch with you?’
    ‘Oh, do stop, Libby,’ said Fran. ‘You were just like this with Guy. Stop match-making.’
    ‘I only want you to be as happy as I am,’ said Libby, climbing off the window sill.
    ‘I am happy. Deliriously. I’ve suddenly come into money and the loveliest cottage in the world – almost.’
    ‘And some new clothes,’ said Libby. ‘Did you get those in London?’
    Fran stared self-consciously down at her new jeans and jumper. ‘Yes. I thought I ought to get a bit more up-to-date.’
    ‘Very nice too,’ said Libby. ‘Wish I could.’
    ‘You couldn’t change your look, though, could you?’ Fran went into the kitchen.
    ‘That’s probably because of where I shop.’ Libby followed her. ‘Can I carry anything?’
    ‘Salad,’ said Fran, handing it to her. ‘And I take it you mean charity shops?’
    ‘Of course,’ grinned Libby. ‘I couldn’t possibly desert them.’
    ‘There are some lovely clothes of your kind, now,’ said Fran sitting down at the table and passing Libby a plate of something savoury.
    ‘Very expensive,’ said Libby. ‘I get the same effect for next to nothing. I mean, look at my cape.’
    They both turned and looked at the slightly moth-eaten blue blanket hanging on Fran’s coat hook.
    ‘That’d cost a fortune these days.’ Libby helped herself to salad. ‘Now, back to this woman. Who is she?’
    ‘A Bella Morleigh.’ Fran pulled a piece of paper towards her. ‘A London number. That’s all I know.’
    ‘So she isn’t local.’
    ‘Doesn’t look like it.’
    ‘Exciting, isn’t it?’ Libby looked up at her friend, her eyes sparkling. ‘This is just what I was suggesting.’
    ‘This is pure coincidence, Libby, and, forgive me for saying it, nothing to do with you.’
    Libby gasped. ‘Fran! How could you? You can’t keep me out of it.’
    Fran shifted in her chair, looking down at her plate. ‘Well, I’ll tell you about it, of course, but –’
    Libby looked at her through narrowed eyes. ‘Oh, I get it. Connell warned me off, did he?’
    ‘Sort of,’ said Fran, looking uncomfortable.
    ‘Keep that meddling bitch out of it, I suppose?’ said Libby.
    ‘Something like that.’ Fran looked even more uncomfortable.
    Libby laughed. ‘Oh, don’t look so bad, Fran. After all, if it hadn’t been for my meddling we wouldn’t have got very far last time, would we?’
    ‘I know.’ Fran sat up straight, looking happier. ‘But I think he wants me to report back to him, so we’ll have to keep you low profile.’ She raised an eyebrow. ‘If possible.’
    ‘Now why,’ said Libby, resting her chin on her hand, ‘does he want you to report back to him? Does he suspect this woman of something?’
    ‘If he did, he would be questioning her, not turning her over to me.’
    ‘Must be he thinks something in her background is a clue, then,’ said Libby. ‘I told you he was more intelligent than Inspector Murray.’
    ‘Inspector Murray at least believed in me,’ said Fran. ‘It was only right at the end that Connell had to give in.’
    ‘Fancies you,’ said Libby. ‘I keep saying.’
    ‘I know you do, and I wish you’d stop. And I’m going out with Guy tonight, anyway.’
    ‘Good,’ said Libby, ‘I like Guy. So tell me, when are you going to ring this woman?’
    ‘This afternoon? Then perhaps I can arrange for us to meet her.’
    ‘Aha! So you do want me in on it?’ Libby was triumphant.
    ‘As long as you don’t interrupt,’ said Fran, ‘I suppose so.’
    But when Fran