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collected the loot first—”
    â€œWe would have noticed stuff missing,” said Willie, “not that any of us has anything of real value.”
    â€œThere’s Vera’s grandmother’s pearls.”
    â€œBut I wear them practically every evening,” Vera pointed out. “They say pearls lose their lustre if they’re not worn. And Isabel’s silver.”
    â€œIt’s all present and correct. Besides polishing twice since we moved in, I’ve been checking it now and then to make sure none of it has wandered off with Mrs. Hedger. So far so good. She has her faults, but dishonesty doesn’t seem to be one of them.”
    â€œAnd she hasn’t got a key to the cellar?” Daisy checked.
    â€œShe said Mrs. Gray never gave her one. Her duties didn’t include dusting or sweeping down there. Never set foot in it, she said, and she wouldn’t have if asked, being TT.”
    â€œI never realised taking the pledge included refusing to dust bottles!” The others laughed, halfheartedly. Daisy went on, “It certainly sounds as if it must have happened before you moved in. How long was the house empty, do you know?”
    Isabel frowned. “I’m not sure. Mrs. Hedger went on coming in to dust, so I couldn’t tell by that. Just a few days, I think. As we bought it furnished, moving wasn’t a major upheaval for either Mrs. Gray or us. Once Willie had everything sorted out with the solicitor, the house agent, Mr. Vaughn, told us we could move in anytime after the first.”
    â€œYou dealt with the lawyer, Willie?”
    â€œMost of the business. We all had to sign the papers, of course. But I learnt a bit of law in my last job, some of it relating to conveyancing.”
    â€œI hope he treated you professional to professional.”
    â€œHe wasn’t too bad.”
    â€œWhat about Vaughn? Was he properly respectful of your eminence?”
    â€œI had very little to do with him,” said Willie, tight-lipped. Daisy had a feeling she had wanted to say, “as little as possible.”
    Isabel said, “Not my cup of tea but he was all right. A bit too polite, if anything; smarmy, especially towards Mrs. Gray.”
    â€œWell, presumably she was paying him a commission,” Daisy pointed out. “And he hoped to sell you a house. I expect it’s a job that calls for a bit of smarm.”
    Isabel and Vera laughed, then Vera said guiltily, “We shouldn’t be laughing. What if the police arrived and heard us?”
    â€œI wish they’d hurry,” said Willie.
    *   *   *
    Meanwhile, as Alec hurried up Orchard Road and crossed Station Road to the telephone box, he was in two minds as to whether to ring the Beaconsfield police, probably a sergeant and a couple of bobbies, or county HQ. Also, since sooner or later he’d have to reveal his credentials, should he do so at once, on the telephone, or wait until he spoke in person to a detective?
    It wouldn’t make much difference in the end. Some local coppers were happy to have help from Scotland Yard, official or unofficial. Some bitterly resented the implication that they couldn’t cope on their own. Might as well tell them right away.
    He’d better not disgruntle the local bobby by going over his head, he decided. He asked the operator for the Beaconsfield police station.
    â€œInspector Neal’s on holiday, sir. Sergeant Harris is in charge. He’ll be at home, this time of day.”
    â€œThis is urgent. If he’s on duty, or even if he’s off, come to that, I don’t care where he is.”
    â€œYes, sir.”
    A woman answered the phone. Alec asked for Sergeant Harris.
    â€œHe’s just sat down to his dinner,” she said crossly.
    â€œI’m afraid it’s urgent, madam.”
    The next sound that came to Alec’s ear was a repressed belch. His own stomach rumbled sympathetically and he thought