“I think so. But first sit down and listen to what I have to say. You can correct me if I’m wrong about anything.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You will in a minute. Sit down, Lauren.” Annie crossed her legs and leaned back in the armchair. She had worked out how to approach Lauren on the drive back from Harrogate, then made a couple of phone calls and picked up DC Winsome Jackman, whom she had instructed to stay outside in the car for the time being. She didn’t expect any trouble, and it would be easier for her to talk to Lauren alone. “We know where Luke was shortly before he was killed,” she began. “Did he ever mention a girl called Liz Palmer to you?”

“No. Why?”

“Are you sure? She meant a lot to Luke.”

Lauren shook her head. “No, that can’t be true. I don’t believe you.”

“Why not, Lauren? Why can’t it be true?”

“Luke…he didn’t…he wasn’t like that. He was devoted to art.”

“Oh, come off it, Lauren. He was just a randy adolescent, like any other. This Liz was a bit older than him and she—”

“No! Stop it. I won’t listen to this.”

“What’s the problem, Lauren?”

“I won’t have you tarnishing Luke’s memory.”

“Tarnishing? What’s so wrong about a fifteen-year-old boy losing his virginity to an older woman? It’s a time-honored tradition, even if it is technically having sex with a minor. Who cares about a few petty rules and regulations? Especially if it’s the boy who’s underage and not the woman. At least we know now Luke got to enjoy the pleasures of sex before he died.”

“I don’t know why,” Lauren said, looking into Annie’s eyes, “but you’re lying to me. There is no ‘Liz.’”

“Yes there is. I can introduce you.”

“No.”

“What is it, Lauren? Jealous?”

“Luke meant a lot to me. You know he did. He was so talented.”

“It was more than that, though, wasn’t it?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were lovers, weren’t you?”

Lauren hesitated for a moment, then said, “What if we were? Are you going to arrest me for that?”

“No. I’m going to arrest you for murder.”

Lauren jerked upright. “You can’t be serious.”

“I’m serious, all right. You see, Liz and her boyfriend live about five minutes’ walk away from here, and Luke was distraught when he left their flat. I asked myself: Where would he go? Maybe it took me too long to come up with the right answer, the only possible answer, but that was because of the clever smokescreen you put up. The kidnapping. We thought we were looking for a man or someone closer to home. But Luke couldn’t have gone home because the last bus had gone and we checked all the taxis. We suspected his music teacher, Alastair Ford, too. But Luke couldn’t have gone to his house because it’s so remote, and he had no means of getting there. That leaves you, Lauren. Luke didn’t have a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. Also, he was very upset. You’re the one he talked to about his emotional problems. How long had you been lovers, Lauren?”