I turned to Stern. ‘Since Salton Estates is primarily a charitable organisation, I’d have thought it would be better established as a trust, with a proper board of trustees.’

‘Mr Salton was thinking of doing just that,’ said Stern. ‘His death interfered with those plans.’

‘What’s the situation now?’

‘We had a directors’ meeting. Mr Idle – who was general manager – was made managing director. I’m chairman.’

‘And Mrs Salton?’

‘She’s on the board.’

I thought about it and I didn’t like what I was thinking. This was altogether too loose. Business trust is a frail flower and the best way of encouraging it is to ensure that there is no scope at all for larceny. Idle and Stern were probably pillars of mercantile rectitude, but there was an outside chance that they were otherwise, and that was a chance that had to be covered.

I said deliberately, ‘It seems to me that, pending the formation of a trust, Western and Continental should have a representative on the board of directors. We have a lot of money invested here – about a quarter of Salton Estates’ fundings.’

Stern said stiffly, ‘There’s been no suggestion of that before.’

‘Circumstances alter cases,’ I said. ‘I’ll be making that recommendation to Mr Costello. It’s up to him if he follows through or not.’

Stern’s mouth was a tightly compressed line. He could see very well what I was getting at, and he didn’t like it. I couldn’t blame him – no one relishes the idea of a personal watchdog, as I was discovering with him. ‘Very well,’ he said.

I was an intelligence consultant and not an accountant, so there was no point in me going through the books, even though I’d told Stern I wanted to. Figures, whether in a ledger or on a computer print-out, were just a lot of chicken tracks to me. I let him off the hook. ‘Well,’ I said genially. ‘I don’t think there’s much more I can do here, except one thing – I’d like to see Mrs Forsyth, Mr Salton’s secretary. I believe she works here now.’

‘Of course,’ said Idle. ‘I’ll send for her.’

‘I’d rather see her alone,’ I said.

He nodded. ‘I’ll take you to her office.’

Stern stood up. ‘You won’t be needing me, Mr Kemp. I’ll get back to Marshalltown. Work doesn’t stop just because one isn’t in the office.’ Mrs Forsyth was evidently too low-grade to require his presence. He paused at the door on his way out. ‘I can’t tell you how shocked I was to hear of the assault on Mr Ogilvie. I truly hope he recovers.’

I shook my head. ‘Too late for that, Mr Stern. He died this morning.’

His face went pale. ‘My God, I’m sorry to hear that. Have the police found out who did it?’