It was winter in the northern hemisphere. While the heat was borderline unbearable in the Caribbean, the snow could be drifting up to three feet thick in the streets of New York. This was straining my credulity a bit too far. I said, ‘He went to New York in midwinter in a polo shirt, shorts and sandals. Is that what you’re telling me, Mrs Salton?’

She smiled slightly. ‘There was nothing odd about it, Mr Kemp. In flying long distances one can never be sure of ground conditions at the destination. Lightweight and heavy-weight business suits were always carried in the aircraft, together with shirts and other accessories.’

Millionaires are different from other people.

I accepted that and said, ‘But he didn’t go to New York, did he?’

‘I didn’t know that at the time. Look, it was a matter of dignity for me: I was waiting for him to call. But after two days I caved in and telephoned the apartment in New York. There was no answer so I telephoned the offices of his New York holding company. He hadn’t been there.’

‘So you contacted the police.’

She shook her head. ‘I wasn’t worried then – not in that way. I think I was more annoyed than anything else. There I was, all set to apologise, and I couldn’t find him. Next day the plane came back.’

‘That would be the third day?’

‘Yes. That’s when Haslam told me David hadn’t been on the flight to the States. They talked together on the plane but David got off again before it took off.’

‘Why did the plane go to the States, Mrs Salton?’

‘It was due back at the manufacturer for a routine service.’

‘I see. So what did you do?’

‘I was very worried. David had just walked out of the house and if he hadn’t gone to the States, then where was he? He certainly couldn’t lose himself on Campanilla – he was too well known. I didn’t know what to do. In the end I telephoned the police.’

Stern broke in. ‘She also telephoned me.’

‘Before or after contacting the police?’

Mrs Salton’s lips compressed slightly and Stern said evenly, ‘She wanted my advice. I told her to get in touch with the police immediately.’

‘I telephoned Commissioner Barstow,’ she said.

Another millionaire touch: if you want something, go right to the top. I said, ‘He sent someone to find out what was happening?’

‘He came himself.’

Of course. Let a millionaire vanish and the chief cop would arrive in a sprint. ‘What was his reaction?’

Stern said, ‘What you’d expect. His first thought was that David had been kidnapped. He alerted all his men and they began to investigate.’