‘Strictly speaking, it’s not my affair,’ I said, and Stern stared at me in surprise. ‘A Mr Ogilvie is dealing with the matter of the claim. I’ll see him and pass on the information you’ve given me so that you won’t have to go through all this again. I expect he’ll be coming to see you quite soon but if you wish he can deal through Mr Stern.’

‘He certainly must deal through me,’ said Stern. ‘But what are you here for?’

‘Oh, I’m here on an entirely different matter,’ I said blandly. ‘I’m representing Mr Costello, the company’s investment analyst. Not unnaturally, he is interested in the future of Salton Estates Ltd.’

‘What has Western and Continental got to do with Salton Estates?’ asked Mrs Salton.

‘They invested money in the firm,’ I said. ‘Over three million pounds.’

‘Eight million dollars,’ said Stern. ‘Mr Salton tended to think in dollars. He lived over there a long time.’

I watched the frown mar Mrs Salton’s lovely face. ‘Didn’t you know about your husband’s business affairs?’

‘Some,’ she said. ‘But I didn’t think he’d borrow that much. It was a loan? He always said he’d never give away a piece of the action.’

I suppressed a smile at the uncharacteristic slang in the well-modulated English tone. ‘Yes, it was a long-term loan at two per cent over bank rate. He’s been paying the interest regularly – that comes to £288,000 a year. He was due to begin paying off the principal in a couple of years’ time.’

‘I didn’t know,’ she said.

‘It was just an ordinary business deal,’ said Stern.

I shrugged. ‘Mr Salton may have been a very good businessman but he appears to have played a lone hand. Now that he’s … no longer around, Mr Costello is wondering if Salton Estates will continue to be run along the lines laid down by Mr Salton.’ I smiled in what I hoped looked like sympathy. ‘It’s not that we’re very worried but we’d just like to make sure.’

‘And how are you going to make sure?’ asked Stern. He seemed unaccountably hostile.

‘I’d like to run my eye over the books – check the cash flow, the reserves, things like that.’

‘Are you empowered to do that?’

I leaned back in my chair. ‘If you think I’m not then I suggest you telephone Lord Hosmer immediately.’

‘Of course you can look at the books,’ said Mrs Salton. ‘As far as I know Salton Estates is doing marvellously.’ She glanced at Stern. ‘Maybe you could take Mr Kemp to the office this afternoon, introduce him to Martin Idle.’

Stern nodded curtly. ‘Very well.’

‘Meanwhile, perhaps you’d care to stay for lunch, Mr Kemp?’

‘Thank you,’ I said politely.