‘Money’s never motivated you, has it? I mean, you like enough to keep your life comfortable but that’s it.’

‘I rarely think about it. Is that irresponsible?’

‘No idea. Si – is this just about bricks and mortar and a patch of land?’

‘Seems to be.’

She knew better than to press him.

‘Is Sammy OK?’

‘Not altogether. Bit of a life crisis – crossroads, whatever. I don’t want him to hear.’

Simon opened the door into the hall and listened. From above, the sound of rushing water and loud music.

‘If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you himself, but essentially, Rosie’s behaving badly and midwifery isn’t for him.’

‘So what is?’

‘No idea. He hasn’t either.’

‘Do you mind? Are you worried?’

‘No. Better to find out now. He’ll get there – not everyone finds the right career straight away, as you should know . . . but he will, he works hard at whatever it is, he just needs to relax about it.’

‘I thought he and Rosie were all good. I like her.’

‘I do too – or I did, but not if what Sam tells me is true. My view in this sort of situation is that you either stay or go, you don’t mess about.’

‘With someone else?’

‘He thinks so.’

‘But he hasn’t been around.’

‘No, but there’s always a kind friend thinking you ought to know . . .’

‘He needs to make sure.’

‘Yes, but he’s only twenty, Simon, and how were you at twenty? How was I?’

‘You? In your second year at med school having just met Chris.’

‘Yes, well, I’m not representative. I’m going to watch the news.’

‘More murder and mayhem.’

‘You don’t have to watch.’

But rather than hang about in the kitchen looking as if he was trying to corner Sam when he re-emerged, he went into the den.

‘You see?’ he said after three minutes.

‘Wait for the local news, it can be quite soothing.’

‘A fourteen-year-old Starly schoolgirl has been taken to Bevham General Hospital by air ambulance, after she was found by her mother unconscious and unresponsive at her home earlier today. She is said to be in a critical condition. Her identity and any further details have not been released.’

Serrailler felt the split second of something like an electrical charge go through him that he always received when hearing a piece of news which was or soon would be relevant to him.

‘Unconscious and unresponsive?’ he said.

Cat shook her head. ‘Could be anything – an accident, fallen downstairs? Doesn’t sound criminal.’

‘Starly. I get bad vibes.’

‘The junkie, the Chinese herbalist?’

‘Thin end of the wedge. Much nastier things are going on in and around Starly, which is why this newsflash came with a red alert.’

‘Can you find out?’