‘No.’ Jude was about to tell Jeremiah about the speed with which Billy Shefford had completed the Triumph Tr6’s service and had the vehicle valeted. But something stopped her. ‘Your friend Dr Rawley didn’t mention to you whether he’d been treating Bill Shefford, did he?’

‘No, of course he didn’t. Come on, Jude, you know the code of confidentiality that medical practitioners have about their patients.’

Oh yes, she knew all about that.

FIFTEEN

‘So,’ asked Carole, ‘are you suggesting that Billy Shefford was involved with this Dr Rawley in some kind of cover-up?’

‘I don’t really know what I’m suggesting,’ said Jude. ‘It just seems odd to me. How did Bill Shefford get in touch with Dr Rawley? Because, do you remember, when we were with Frankie in the Crown and Anchor, she said Bill had been seeing the doctor who signed the death certificate? She didn’t mention the name, though.’

‘Yes, I remember.’

‘I mean, you, with your Home Office background, do you know what happens after an accidental death? Does there have to be a police investigation or an inquest?’

‘I don’t think there has to be,’ said Carole judiciously. She wanted to maintain her professional image, but in fact this wasn’t an area in which she had any specialized knowledge. ‘There might be an investigation from the Health and Safety Executive … though Frankie said they’d recently had an inspection from them.’ Finally, she confessed, ‘I really don’t know.’

‘Hm. Well, if there’s anything you can find out while I’m away …’

‘Away?’ Carole echoed, puzzled.

‘I told you, I’m going to Leeds in the morning.’

‘Oh yes, of course,’ said Carole. ‘To your lesbian conference.’

When Carole came downstairs the following morning, the Friday, there was a piece of paper on the High Tor doormat. The message read: ‘DON’T THINK YOU’RE SAFE, YOU BITCH!’

Her first instinct was to ring Jude. Then she remembered her neighbour had already left on her trip up North. It wasn’t worth calling her on the mobile. Carole didn’t want to sound needy.

But she did want to find out who was responsible for this campaign of harassment against her. Though, perhaps surprisingly, her stronger imperative was to find out the truth about Bill Shefford’s death.

So, with her neighbour away, she thought she might do a little investigation on her own. The idea of presenting Jude with new information – or even, dare she hope, a solution – on her return was rather appealing.