“Of course I do. He’s got to have a hidden agenda behind that outburst. Even I wouldn’t have had the bottle to stand up on that platform and say out loud what so many of us are thinking.”

“Bottle or stupidity,” Sophie observed. “By the way, what was all that about shadowy figures disappearing round corners? You never said anything to me about that.”

Lindsay shrugged. “It was the vaguest of impressions. Just a flicker in the peripheral vision. But there’s something niggling at the back of my mind about it. I just can’t get a hold of it.”

“Do you really want to get a hold of it?”

“Of course I do. That’s a daft question,” Lindsay complained. “If I could get a handle on something definite, something factual, I’d be as happy as a pig.”

“It’s not a daft question, smartarse. The point I’d like to make is, if you suddenly remember something you saw or heard that you didn’t tell the police earlier, they’re going to be deeply suspicious on two counts. One, are you deliberately trying to draw suspicion away from yourself and towards someone else? And two, did you deliberately suppress the information earlier for some twisted reason of your own?”

“You mean, blackmail?”

“Or just to pass it on to one of your old journo cronies. For a fee, of course.”

“That’s evil,” Lindsay said. “I’ve lived with you for three years, and I never suspected you of possessing such a devious mind. Mind you,” she added, “I never was much good at spotting devious women.”

“Water under the bridge, babe,” Sophie said, giving her a quick hug. “There’s nothing wrong with your judgement. So, are you sure you really want to dig up whatever it is you think you might have buried away in your few remaining brain cells?”

“Yes, I’m sure. After all, I don’t have to tell the police right away, do I? I could just poke around till I found some more convincing evidence, couldn’t I?”

Sophie groaned. “That wasn’t quite what I had in mind. God, Lindsay, you’re incorrigible.”

“I know. Good, innit?” Lindsay said with a wink. “So what did you have in mind?”

“Well, hypno, of course!”

“Oh no, you must be out of your California-crazed mind,” Lindsay groaned.

Sophie pressed on regardless. “I use hypno all the time! I can get women to deliver their babies without drugs by using hypnosis, so I’m sure I can help you retrieve data that’s only filed away in the drawer marked ‘alcoholic oblivion.’ What do you think?”

Lindsay closed her eyes. “My eyelids are growing heavy,” she intoned, then slumped backwards against the wall.

“Quit clowning,” Sophie said. “You know it works.”