“I’ll wait, then,” Lindsay said defiantly, throwing herself into a chair.

“Please yourself,” the receptionist shrugged. She picked up her phone and punched in a number. “Mrs. Cox? Miss Gordon is waiting in reception on the off-chance of seeing Miss Ogilvie . . . I see . . . Yes, I’ll tell her.” She looked up at Lindsay. “Miss Ogilvie’s secretary says you’ll be wasting your time. She really does have a very busy schedule today and there’s no chance of her seeing you.”

“I told you, it’s vital that I see her,” Lindsay said. “If only for five minutes. I’ll wait, if it’s all the same to you.”

The receptionist went back to her work, and Lindsay settled down to wait. She pulled a paperback out of her bag and tried with little success to concentrate on its convoluted plot. All she could think about was Cordelia. They had lived together for three years, and yet she felt as though Cordelia was a total stranger to her. The woman she had loved had far too much respect for the talent of others to steal someone else’s work and pass it off as her own. The woman she had loved was not the sort to give in to intimidation, but she would never have chosen murder as the way to escape it. What had happened to Cordelia to change all that? Or had she, Lindsay, simply been blind to her lover’s real character? And if she had, how could she ever trust her judgment again?

The minutes ticked slowly by. Lindsay checked her watch. Half past twelve. It was obvious that her former employer was avoiding her. Claire would be going to lunch soon, she felt sure. But if she knew Lindsay was still sitting in reception, she’d either stay holed up in her office or sneak out another way. Lindsay gave a deep sigh to attract the receptionist’s attention and got to her feet. “I’ve not got all day,” she complained and walked out.

She took the lift down to the ground floor and cast a quick glance round the lobby. There were a few chairs scattered round, but none that offered a vantage point where she could see without being seen. And she didn’t want to accost Claire on company property. It would be too easy to get herself thrown out while Claire retreated to the safety of her office. Muttering under her breath, Lindsay stepped out of the warm building into the knife edge of a freezing northeasterly wind. She walked to the corner of the building and tried unsuccessfully to shelter in its lee while keeping an eye on the door.