‘Apparently she still had a key to the private door in the alley. Max was furious. He dragged her into a corner and started telling her where to get off. I couldn’t hear what she was saying, but you’d only to see her face to know that she was pleading with him.’

‘What happened?’

‘As I say, I couldn’t hear what she said, but he laughed right in her face and said, “There’s always the river, isn’t there?” I wasn’t the only one who heard that.’

There was a long silence and then Miller said calmly, ‘It would seem she took him at his word.’ Monica Grey didn’t reply and he got to his feet. ‘Does he know she’s dead?’

‘Not as far as I’m aware.’

‘You haven’t been in touch with him since I was last here?’

She shook her head and he nodded, moved to the door and opened it. ‘You do and I’ll crucify you.’

As he went downstairs, Brady opened the front door. He paused, waiting for Miller to join him. ‘Any luck?’

‘You could say that. How about Harriet Craig?’

‘She’ll be fine once she gets over the initial shock. She’s got a lot about her that one. Where to now?’

‘The Flamingo Club,’ Miller said, ‘to have a few words with Mr Maxwell Vernon. I’ll explain on the way.’

He went down the steps quickly and when he slipped behind the wheel of the Cooper, his hands were shaking.

Max Vernon’s office was a showpiece in cream and gold and furnished in perfect taste, the walls lined with expensive military prints, a fire flickering brightly in the Adam grate. He made a handsome figure sitting there at his desk, the last rays of the afternoon sun lighting up the fair hair, picking out the colours of the green velvet smoking jacket, the Guards Brigade scarf at his throat.

There was a knock on the door, it opened and Stratton came in. ‘I’ve got those figures you wanted.’

Vernon put down his pen and sat back. ‘Good show, Billy. Just leave ’em on the desk. Anything else?’

‘Yes, this copper you were asking about.’

‘Miller?’

‘That’s right. You’re on a bum steer there. He’s anything but bent. It seems his brother owns a chain of television shops. Miller’s a sleeping partner, that’s where all his gelt comes from.’

‘But that’s illegal,’ Vernon said. ‘Coppers aren’t encouraged to have business interests on the side.’

Stratton nodded. ‘Apparently they all know about it on the force, but they simply look the other way. It seems Miller’s a blue-eyed boy. He’s been to University, got a law degree and that sort of thing.’

‘Has he now?’ Vernon said. ‘Now that is interesting.’