Sophie grinned and kissed Lindsay’s forehead. “If you saw my patients, you wouldn’t even think of making a scurrilous suggestion like that!”

Afterward, they lay sprawled chaotically together in Sophie’s king-sized bed, the room illuminated with the eerie glow of the ten-foot long fish tank that occupied most of one wall. “Mmm. It’s been a long time,” Lindsay murmured.

“For me too. You’re the first since Helen,” Sophie confessed with a distant smile. Her eyes had lost the weary look they’d held earlier.

“You surprise me,” Lindsay said. “A woman of your charms. I didn’t think you’d be on the loose for long, to be honest.”

“After Helen, it would take someone rather special to interest me,” Sophie said with a trace of bitterness unnoticed by Lindsay in her post-orgasmic haze.

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Lindsay purred as she leaned over and picked up her cigarettes from the bedside table.

“You should. I’ve always had a soft spot for you, you know?” Sophie said, stretching luxuriously.

“I’d no idea. Personally, I’d always thought Helen was far luckier than she deserved to be. So how come we never did anything about it till now?” Lindsay asked as she lit up and inhaled deeply.

Sophie propped herself up on one elbow and stroked Lindsay’s side. “Well, I was with Helen, then when I wasn’t with Helen any more, you were with Cordelia. Speaking of whom, how are you finding working for Claire?”

“Uncomfortable,” Lindsay said, luxuriating in her new lover’s touch. “It’s not easy maintaining a coolly professional relationship with her when Cordelia’s around all the time. Though I suspect that after tonight all that might have changed.”

Sophie stopped in mid-stroke. “I wonder . . .” she murmured.

“What?”

“I wonder if it’s deliberate, Cordelia always being around?” Sophie said thoughtfully.

“I don’t understand,” Lindsay said. “Why should it be deliberate?”

“Say for the sake of argument that Claire’s heart isn’t really in it. She doesn’t really want you to discover Alison’s murderer.”

“You mean she doesn’t believe in Jackie’s innocence at all?”

“No, no,” Sophie said impatiently, sitting up and hugging her knees. “Jackie’s innocence isn’t the issue. I mean, she’s obviously fond of Jackie and would be happy for her if she were released. But say Claire didn’t want you to uncover the truth. What better way of distracting you than by ramming Cordelia down your throat at every opportunity?”

“But why on earth would she want to do that? I mean, why bother asking me to investigate in the first place if she then goes out of her way to distract me?” Lindsay demanded, completely confused.

“It would make perfect sense if Claire Ogilvie killed Alison Maxwell.”

11

Lindsay woke from a confused dream of being lost in an African township, searching vainly for Cordelia, to Sophie gently shaking her awake.