After Newman had been released, Spencer ran Mandy Pilkington’s name through the records. When the results appeared, Spencer did a little dance step, ending with a spinning turn. ‘Well, what do you know? Our Mandy Pilkington has quite a record. Arrests for prostitution and soliciting and she’s now advertising herself as a dominatrix.’ Spence placed Mandy Pilkington’s mugshot on Jane’s desk. ‘And it looks like our Mr. Foxley was a regular client.’

Chapter Eight

CHAPTER EIGHT

Tyler was just wrapping up the meeting in the boardroom where he’d allocated the names from Myers’ list to be questioned. He gestured to Jane. ‘Have you made contact with Justine Harris? Virtually everyone at that theatrical agency seems to think she was more than capable of murder.’

Jane tapped a page in her notebook. ‘I did speak to her mother, Florence Harris, sir, and she said Justine would not be staying long with her in Ascot. She agreed to see me tomorrow morning.’

‘Good. I also want another round of house-to-house inquiries. And those officers who were assigned to them earlier in the day, go back and check over the properties where the occupant was absent.’

There was an audible groan.

‘Look,’ Tyler said sternly, ‘I’ve got the press on my back and there’s already all sorts of rumors going around. We need to get a result – and quick.’

They filed out of the boardroom and got to work. Jane had agreed to do two of the house calls as a favor to one of the officers whose wife was expecting a baby.

Jane spoke to one flat owner who had never met Charles Foxley and didn’t even know which flat he lived in. The second occupant did recall seeing him with his dogs and said that his next-door neighbor had had a loud argument with Foxley about his dogs, telling him that he should use poo bags, but he’d never had a conversation with him himself. He was a rather dapper, middle-aged bachelor, with wavy white hair. He was dressed in an immaculate pin-striped suit with a rather flamboyant pink tie, and worked as an investment banker. He even offered Jane a glass of sherry, which she politely refused. She was just about to leave when he said that he had met the previous owner, a Mr. Martinez.

‘He created a lot of animosity among some of the residents because he renovated the basement and the work went on for a lengthy period. It was all very inconvenient as some of the residents’ parking was taken up by the skips. But he was very apologetic, and I believe he gave bottles of champagne to his closest neighbors.’

‘Did you actually meet Mr. Martinez?’