Jane was at her desk and watched as Tyler greeted him. Tall and elegant, McDermott was wearing an immaculate charcoal-grey overcoat with a black velvet collar over a grey suit. He was slightly tanned, with thick, iron-grey curly hair. He didn’t look to either side or acknowledge anyone as he followed Tyler into his office.

Spencer came out from interview room two and joined Jane at her desk.

‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

He shrugged. ‘Henson’s more than likely going to be released without charge after Miller’s interviewed Justine.’ He then turned and nodded towards Tyler’s closed door. ‘What’s going on in there?’

‘A big-time QC called Darren McDermott has arrived. I think he’s here to represent Justine Harris.’

Spencer frowned. ‘He’s a bit of a heavy hitter to come in as a brief for her.’ Spencer looked at Tyler’s closed office door again. ‘How long are they going to be in there?’

‘I don’t know,’ Jane said.

Spencer leaned close, grinning. ‘I have to say, Henson made DI Miller look a right twat.’

‘What about him fathering Foxley’s daughter?’

Spencer shook his head. ‘He had a vasectomy after his second son, and even had the surgeon’s number if we wanted to call to verify it. You know something, I quite like him.’

DI Miller walked in. ‘Well, I’m glad you do, Detective Sergeant Gibbs, and if you have nothing better to do but stand around here gossiping, you can make yourself useful and do something for me. Go and speak to the agent who knows about Foxley’s drug use.’

‘Emma Ransom?’

‘Yes. We just heard Henson confirm that Foxley’s drug habit was getting out of control, so we may be looking for a drug dealer.’

‘So you don’t think Justine is involved?’

Miller pursed his lips. ‘I never said that. She is the only one to benefit from Foxley’s death, so I haven’t changed my mind yet. But she now has Darren McDermott acting for her, so we might not get anything out of her.’

*

Spencer took the Underground into the West End and was heading into Paramount House as a young girl was hurrying down in the other direction. She was so intent on holding tightly to an envelope that she didn’t see him and they bumped into each other, knocking the envelope flying. It was filled with banknotes. She hurriedly snatched at the fallen money.

‘You should watch where you’re going,’ she said, brushing herself down.

She was still stuffing the money back into the envelope as Spencer headed up the stairs. The two receptionists, Rita and Angela, greeted him like a long-lost friend and went straight into gossip mode.

‘You aren’t gonna believe what happened here. She comes in and goes ballistic, screaming and shouting! It was very unpleasant, wasn’t it, Rita?’