Jude sighed. It was sometimes very tiring engaging in conversation with Carole. But she did relay what she’d heard from Jeremiah about the bad blood between the young man and Bill Shefford. ‘I don’t know,’ she concluded. ‘May be simple coincidence, but if one was looking for evidence of foul play …’

‘I’m definitely looking for evidence of foul play,’ said Carole, completely hooked. She didn’t realize until that moment how disappointed she had been by the accident theory of Bill Shefford’s death.

‘I think the first thing we need to find out,’ said Jude, ‘is whether the murder method is feasible.’

‘How do you mean?’

‘Would it be possible to sabotage a Triumph Tr6 in such a way that the gearbox could fall down on top of someone inspecting it? I suppose I could look online. There’s always plenty of stuff about vehicle mechanics, but I’m not sure that kind of information would be easy to track down. Or indeed whether I’d understand it if I did track it down.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Carole, once again feeling ascendancy. ‘I can find that out.’

‘How? As you keep saying, you know nothing about cars.’

‘No,’ Carole agreed complacently, ‘but I know a man who does.’

‘I know there’s nothing one can say about foreigners that isn’t classified as racist these days.’ The pontificating voice came, unsurprisingly, from Barney Poulton. He was incapable of being in the Crown and Anchor without pontificating, and how long he’d been at it could usually be judged by the thickness of the glaze on Ted Crisp’s eyes. Customers like Barney Poulton were one of the hazards of a landlord’s life. Every pub had at least one person who fitted the brief and the Crown and Anchor had quite a few. Unfortunately, that night Barney was the only one of them present, which ruled out the possibility of someone else with an equally large ego interrupting his monologue.

‘But,’ he went on, ‘if you aren’t allowed to mention people’s nationality, then how are you going to pass any comment? Whether that comment be commendation or criticism?’

Carole looked across at the bar, then turned back, eyebrows raised in annoyance. ‘He does go on, doesn’t he? I’m glad to say he hardly knows me, so I think I’m safe from having to hear his opinions.’

‘Don’t you believe it. Barney talks so loudly no one can avoid his opinions.’ Jude swallowed down the last of her Sauvignon Blanc and moved to rise from the alcove. ‘I think we need to get another drink.’

‘But if you go up to get them,’ Carole hissed fiercely, ‘he’s bound to buttonhole you.’

‘Exactly. But haven’t you noticed who he’s with?’

Carole gaze strayed back to the bar. ‘Ah. I see what you mean.’

She too downed the remains of her glass and followed Jude across the room.