“You’ve got no idea. Workaholics, some of them. Brown noses, the rest of them. Think just because Danny sometimes drops in on a Saturday that they’ll get Brownie points if he sees them at their desk. Saddos.”

“So what time do they leave?” Sophie asked.

“Look, what are you going to do in there? I’m not going along with anything criminal, like trashing the place.” Lauren’s voice was apprehensive underneath a superficial bravado.

“Nobody will even know we’ve been in there,” Lindsay promised. “All I want to do is exactly what Penny did. There’s something I need to check out for myself, just like she did.”

Lauren picked up one of the sandwiches and tore into it as if she hadn’t seen food for a week. “How do I know you’re telling me the truth?” she said through a mouthful of sandwich.

Lindsay shrugged as Sophie leaned forward, pinning Lauren with her eyes. “You have to trust us, Lauren. Lindsay told me how fond you were of Penny. Well, so was I. She was my best friend. I know we’re asking you to take a big risk, but we’re not asking for fun. This is as serious as it ever gets, Lauren. This is about my best friend’s death, and I am absolutely determined to find out what really happened to her. Now, if you want to help, I’d be delighted to accept your assistance. But if it’s too much to ask, that’s okay too. We’ll just have to find another way of getting at what we need.”

Lauren gave up trying to outstare Sophie and mumbled, “All right. But this is the last time I take any chances, okay?”

Sophie reached out and touched Lauren’s shoulder. “Thanks.”

“Cash, mind,” Lauren said gruffly. “Up front.”

Lindsay took out an envelope and pushed it across the table. Lauren paused for a moment, her eyes going from one to the other in a flickering gaze. Then she snatched up the envelope and ripped it open, revealing five new fifty-pound notes. Glancing quickly round her to make sure no one was watching, she held them up to the light to check metal strip and watermark. “Oh, yeah,” Lindsay said with a tinge of sarcasm, “I really look like a big-time forger.”

Lauren gave a sunny grin. “All I know, you could be Al Capone. Right now, I couldn’t care less. Be outside the office at half past five. They’ll all have gone by then. I’ll let you in.” She grabbed her bag and stuffed the envelope in an inside zipped pocket. Then, picking up the remains of her sandwich, she pushed back from the table, about to leave.

“Wait a minute,” Lindsay said. “One or two questions, remember?”