“The feeling’s mutual, Tony,” I replied, returning the grin. I’ve known Tony since he was a DS on the burglary squad. He’s one of the few coppers I have any professional respect for. “Is there some kind of a problem with the Smarts?”

“That would be one way of putting it,” said Clive, stuffy as ever. “It would appear that when Inspector Redfern and his colleagues from the Trading Standards Department executed their warrant on Mr. Smart’s warehouse premises, they drew a blank.” See what I mean? You’d never guess.

I looked questioningly at Tony. He nodded, looking as if he’d just lost the five closest members of his family. “He’s not wrong. We’d had a team watching the place all day, and not a sausage came out that front door. There’s no back entrance, no side entrance. The place was clean, Kate. Billy and Gary stood there watching us with a grin on their faces like a pair of Cheshire cats. I don’t know where you got your info, but it’s a duffy.”

I couldn’t believe it. “We were hoping you would be able to furnish us with some explanation, Miss Brannigan,” Clive said icily. “You had mounted surveillance personally for some time, I believe.”

“Over a period of four weeks, to be precise,” Bill weighed in. “Averaging a sixteen-hour day. You were sent our detailed reports, including photographs, Clive.” There was a warning note in Bill’s voice. I hoped Clive was alert to it. It’s hell getting bloodstains out of gray carpet.

“I don’t understand it,” I said, going for the note of genuine puzzlement. “Unless they’ve changed warehouses. But there’s no reason why they should.” I frowned. “Tony, how long have you had

Tony shook his head. “Nice try, Kate. But we didn’t move on them till yesterday morning, and all we did was put a team outside the warehouse. They couldn’t have cleared the stuff since then.”

“Perhaps there is a leak inside your organization, Mr. Mortensen?” Clive suggested.

I thought Bill was going to explode. He leaned forward in his chair, put his rather large hands flat on the desk and snarled, “No way, Clive. If there is a leak, it’s not from here. People in glass houses, Clive. I’ve always wondered how the thieves knew exactly which cupboard wasn’t wired.”

Clive looked petulant. “That’s an outrageous suggestion,” he complained. “Besides, it was your company that installed the alarm system.”