‘I wish I hadn’t bothered. Kellan had already put Jeavons’ back up so, by the time I saw him, he was in a stinking mood that he then took out on me. I asked him for a loan of a few thousand, nothing Jeavons couldn’t handle, but he wasn’t as forthcoming as he might’ve been. He told me he’d think about it.’

I played a hunch. ‘I have it on good authority that he turned you down. Isn’t that right?’

‘How on earth did you know that?’ Patrix was seething.

‘Your conversation was overheard.’ I shrugged, hoping my tone was convincing.

‘By who? I’ll bet the butler, George? Nosy, blanker son of a bitch. That man has the ill-bred habit of appearing out of nowhere when you least expect him. No doubt he had his ear to the door throughout my entire conversation with Jeavons. But then what else can you expect from a Nought?’

‘I believe he’s dual heritage.’

‘Dual heritage, my arse. One drop of Nought blood makes you a blanker as far as I’m concerned.’

What a repulsive, odious turd. Enough of this bullshit.

‘Mr Ellerman, I don’t appreciate you using that slur in front of me,’ I stated.

‘Oh, excuse me all over the place. One drop of Nought blood makes you wypipo as far as I’m concerned. Is that better?’ Patrix said with sarcasm.

Keep it together, Sephy. Deep breath. And another …

‘So Dan wasn’t in the mood to forgive your debt?’ I continued.

‘Are you kidding? I really should’ve known better than to see him after Kellan,’ muttered Patrix, shaking his head.

No, your mistake was being a money-grubbing, despicable excuse for a human being, I thought, while deliberately keeping my expression neutral.

Poker face, Persephone. Inhale. Exhale. Extreme poker face.

‘Do you remember what was on Dan’s desk when you spoke to him?’

Patrix frowned, thrown by the question. He took a moment, then said, ‘A sixteen-inch laptop computer, an opened A4 brown envelope, a bronzed female hand holding a silver-coloured letter opener, a lamp that was switched on, an ornate knife with a silver-coloured handle mounted on a plinth, a couple of books, desk speakers, a phone, a notebook, a glass paperweight that looked like it had lava flowing inside, a stapler, an expensive set of blue and silver pens standing up in a shark’s mouth penholder and a framed photograph.’

Impressive memory. A lawyer’s attention to detail.

‘Did anything strike you as out of place or odd?’

‘About Jeavons or his desk?’

‘Either. Both.’