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Bray getting into a taxi captured on it. A chunky man, with short, fair hair and a ruddy complexion. In his early thirties in that image, he would have been pushing forty when he was killed by a shotgun blast in a dark and lonely lay-by.
    â€˜Who the hell are you then?’ Dan muttered. ‘Come on, make up your mind. Is it philanthropist, or just a bastard businessman? And who, of that very respectable list of enemies you managed to make, wanted you dead so badly as to go ahead and do it?’
    He picked up his satcheland headed for the newsroom.
    It was time for the next phase of the plan to get underway.
    Lizzie was sitting at her desk, a whimsical smile on her face. She was one of those rare people whom smiling just didn’t suit. Her lips were too thin for the expression to work, made it look more like a warrior’s satisfaction at the death of a bitter foe than any form of human pleasure. It was as effective as painting a little grinning face on a hand grenade.
    A Lizzie smile could also indicate trouble in exactly the same way as did the height of her shoes.
    Dan approached with due caution.
    â€˜Ah,’ she said, spotting him instantly. ‘Just the person I was looking for. Our new crime correspondent. And with a corker of a maiden story to launch his new career. Good to see that you’re in early to work on it.’
    â€˜Extra early in fact.’
    â€˜Oh?’
    Dan explained about his hour in the libraryand what he had found. Before she could interject, he added, ‘I think we have to get into the case in depth. We need to find out who Bray really was and why he did the things he did.’
    â€˜And how do you propose to do that? We haven’t managed to crack it before. And he’s not exactly likely to talk now, is he?’
    Dan put on a good-natured smile for his editor’s idea of wit. ‘No, but the police are going to have to go into his life in detail to try to find out who it was that killed him.’
    â€˜Granted. And?’
    â€˜And getting into all the minutiae of their investigation is what we need to make stories for us.’
    She looked more interested. ‘So how do you plan to go about that?’
    â€˜You sit on those police liaison meetings, don’t you? You’re friendly with the senior officers.’
    â€˜Yeah, dull but necessary. Come on, get to the point. What’re you thinking?’
    â€˜How about getting me in to shadow the Bray investigation? It could be good for us and the cops. They get to put out a positive message about the progress they’re making. I get the inside track on the inquiry, and more importantly I get a crash course in detective work. I’m going to need it for the new job.’
    She nodded thoughtfully. ‘Not a bad idea. There’s something else we could use too.’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜There’s an election due soon and we’ve got some key marginal seats in the region. The Home Office would love a bit of good news on the law and order front. If I have a word with a couple of local MPs too they could help pave the way. Right, I’ll do it later. But first …’
    There was always a but with Lizzie, and usually more than one. Her mind was a fruitful breeding ground for caveats.
    â€˜Yes?’ Dan said, trying not to sound wary.
    â€˜One of the researchers knows Bray’s dad. He wants to speak out about his son being killed. Get to it. I want a report for the lunchtime news. I want poignancy and emotion. I want – “He may have been a bastard, but he didn’t deserve to die.” I want a live broadcast too. I want the works and I want it good. Go on then, what are you waiting for?’
    Dan wasn’t waiting. He was heading for the door. As he was about to leave, she called, ‘Do I get the feeling you’re starting to get into this new job?’
    â€˜I’m reserving judgement,’ he replied.

Chapter Four
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