“I think we should hear Lindsay out,” Jim commented, looking up from his notes. “We’ve already got the makings of an appeal here, and as Jackie’s lawyer, I want to hear what she has to say.”

“Thanks, Jim,” Lindsay replied. “If I can pursue the idea of Claire for a moment. It’s not unreasonable to suggest that Claire knew exactly how obsessed Jackie was with Alison and realized that while Alison was alive, their relationship had little chance of survival. She could easily have resolved to kill Alison. And she had no alibi for the crucial time. She could have gone to Alison’s flat, waited in the rubbish chute cupboard till she saw Jackie leave, then slipped in and killed Alison. I’m not suggesting she was trying to frame Jackie, by the way. As far as she knew, Jackie was well clear of the building, and Claire had no way of knowing that Alison was expecting another visitor almost immediately. So, Claire could have had means and opportunity. And she certainly had motive.”

Claire shot a venomous look at Lindsay as Cordelia blurted, “This is ridiculous. I’ve never heard anything so stupid in all my life. My God, Lindsay you really have excelled yourself this time.”

“Look, Cordelia. I was hired to do a job and quite frankly, I don’t give a damn what you think of how I’ve done it,” Lindsay snapped angrily. “But I intend to finish it in my own way whether you shut up and let me get on with it or not. Now, I’d like to return to Ruth and Antonis. Ruth too had a perfect motive for murder. Her best friend was sleeping with her husband, whom she loves with a blind passion. I think all her anger would have been directed at Alison, a woman who had betrayed her in such a cavalier fashion. I suspect she exonerated Antonis, because she knew only too well how good Alison was at getting what she wanted. Ruth was in the building on the afternoon of the murder. We have only her word for when she actually left. Haven’t we, Ruth?”

Lindsay stared at Ruth, who was gazing at Lindsay with the horrified stare of the rabbit transfixed by the stoat. Relentlessly, Lindsay continued. “You haven’t really got an alibi, have you?”

Ruth swallowed hard then croaked, “Yes, yes I have. I phoned one of my clients at six o’clock, and he rang me back ten minutes later. I was at my gallery, I was . . . You’ve got to believe me!” Her voice broke on a note of rising hysteria.