“I promise you’ll have them by the end of the day,” Sophie said.

“That’s terrific, honestly. That’s fine,” Lindsay reassured her. Then she sighed. “I really miss you, you know. Helen and Kirsten have been great, but it’s not like having you around.”

“It won’t be long till I’m back in Britain too. Don’t forget, we already had our flights booked for next week.”

“I know. I just wish I didn’t have to do without you that long. You’re always telling me I’m not fit to be let out on my own.”

“You need some back-up, huh?”

Lindsay grinned. “That’s right. I need someone to cover my back when I’m dealing with these heavy people. Violent types like publishers.”

“Joking apart, you be careful. At the risk of sounding like the last line before the commercial break in Murder, She Wrote, there’s a killer out there, and I don’t want you to be the next victim.”

“Don’t worry,” Lindsay said. “With what you’ve told me this morning, I think I’ve got a pretty good idea who killed Penny. And I’m not about to confront her up a dark alley. I don’t think that even Baz Burton has the bottle to jump me in an open-plan office in front of the entire office staff of Monarch Press.”

“I don’t suppose there’s any point in me suggesting you hold off on this confrontation till you’ve had the chance to read the revised text for yourself? So you can quote chapter and verse at Baz?”

“Absolutely correct. What would be the point in that, unless you’re winding me up and telling me stories?”

Sophie sighed. “Promise me you’ll be careful?”

“I promise I’ll still be in one piece when you get here,” Lindsay said.

“So let me speak to Helen now,” Sophie said. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Lindsay said, waving the phone at Helen, who grabbed it and had a short conversation with Sophie which was remarkable for its monosyllabic quality. Lindsay had never seen anyone but Sophie reduce Helen’s dialogue so drastically, and it appeared the old gift hadn’t left her. After a series of grunts, yeahs and “no problems,” Helen hung up.

“So,” she said to Lindsay. “Are we on for tonight? The big sting? Or are you going to be too busy catching murderers?”

“Trust me, I’m a doctor,” Lindsay said.

Helen snorted. “It’d take more than an American PhD to make me trust you, kiddo.”

Lindsay stood up, pretending to be on her dignity. “It’ll all be done and dusted by seven. Then you and I will be ready to roll.”