‘I don’t either,’ I said. ‘I just don’t like seeing anyone knocked down. But think this one over, Mr Stern. David Salton had a quarrel with his wife just before he was found dead in most mysterious circumstances. You know it, I know it and Superintendent Hanna knows it. If it should prove that the quarrel was about Miss Tomsson, then Hanna is going to be putting two and two together to make five. Jill Salton wouldn’t be the first jealous wife to kill her husband. Very few people are murdered by strangers – it’s your nearest and dearest you have to watch out for.’

Stern moistened his lips. ‘That’s a ridiculous hypothesis. And the inquest findings …’

‘That post-mortem was a joke. Besides, a policeman is not bound by the findings of an inquest.’

‘So what do you suggest I do about Miss Tomsson?’

‘Whatever it is, it will have to be very discreet. She wants to go to England, I believe, which should suit you. Paying her air fare and giving her a stake to live on until she settles down might not be a bad idea. But do it carefully and through a third party.’

Stern grimaced. ‘I’m a lawyer and an officer of the court. Are you asking that I become accessory to a felony?’

‘What felony? As you said, it’s just a hypothesis, interesting and perhaps ridiculous. Maybe you’d better ask Hanna which of those descriptions he prefers.’

I walked to the door and Stern came from behind the desk, rather more meek than I had seen him before. ‘I have to thank you for pointing out the delicacy of the situation, Mr Kemp. I must say that I hadn’t thought the thing through quite as cogently as you have. I might take some such action as you have outlined.’

As I went down to the street I speculated about Stern. He knew on which side his bread was buttered and I suspected he liked the butter spread thick. Running an apartment in Gregory Plaza wasn’t cheap, even for a successful lawyer, and he had the wit to know that Mrs Salton was his meal ticket. If she was removed from the scene, then it was likely that he would no longer be chairman of Salton Estates Ltd and he could lose his other directorships in the lucrative Salton empire. I rather thought his legal ethics wouldn’t stand in the way of extending a welcoming arm to help Leotta Tomsson.

I crossed the pavement and got into my car. The interior was like an oven so I wound down both side windows to allow the air to circulate. I took the key from my pocket and, as I moved my hand to put it in the ignition, it slipped from my fingers. I stooped to pick it up from the floor and something brushed the nape of my neck.