‘Well, if you’re in agreement, I’ll get Jane to liaise with you and any information we manage to muster, we’ll pass on to you. Where are you staying?’

‘The Braye Beach.’

‘Nice place! I looked it up on the internet but unfortunately they’re full. We’re staying up the road. Actually, that’s for the best because I don’t think it would be a good idea for us to be seen together. Official and unofficial . . . let’s not get the lines crossed. What do you say?’

‘It’s all right with me.’

‘Good. Good. Good. Is there anything you need straight off?’ He took out a pen and a leather notebook.

‘Anything you can get me on le Mesurier would be useful,’ Hawthorne said. ‘A full profile of his life and business activities. Any criminal record, of course. Plus a list of all his appearances on Dad’s Army.’

Torode had been writing this all down but now he stopped, his pen hovering. He laughed briefly. ‘That’s funny. Yes. I saw what you did there.’

‘It might also be useful to know what happens to his money now that he’s dead,’ Hawthorne went on.

‘We might have to wait until Monday for that, but once I’ve got the information I’ll get Whitlock to bring it over. Anything else?’

‘That’ll do for the moment.’

There was a ping and Whitlock opened the microwave. Steam from half a dozen miniature steak and kidney puddings came wafting out.

Torode closed his notebook. ‘Just a couple of things before I let you get on your way,’ he said. ‘I hope you won’t mind me bringing them up.’

‘Go ahead.’

‘Thank you.’ He slipped the notebook away. ‘The first thing is that I’ve been made aware that Charles le Mesurier has a financial adviser by the name of Derek Abbott.’ He paused. ‘That wouldn’t be the same Derek Abbott that you pushed down the stairs, would it?’

Hawthorne’s face was stony. ‘I didn’t push him. He fell.’

‘Well, from what I’m told, there was quite a bit of bad blood between you.’ Perhaps there was more to Jonathan Torode than I had thought. It seemed to me that he was suddenly harder and more dangerous. ‘I think it might be best if you kept away from him. We wouldn’t want there to be any more misunderstandings, would we?’

‘I thought you said I had carte blanche.’

‘Leave Abbott to me. I’ll make sure you get a complete transcript of any interview I conduct.’

‘And the other thing?’