‘Had she chosen this friend to look after Dee Robson?’ Vera wished Margaret was still alive so that she could discuss all this; Vera would have applauded the woman’s generosity and common sense.

‘It was another of the beneficiaries, Malcolm Kerr.’

Vera wondered what all that was about. Malcolm was hardly the most reliable of Margaret’s acquaintances. Perhaps she’d hoped that responsibility for Dee Robson would stop him falling apart through grief and self-pity.

Short was continuing to speak. ‘I wondered if she’d asked Mr Kerr if he was willing to take on the role. It seemed to me rather an onerous task. She said that she’d discussed it with him in general terms. I said that she should get his specific and formal agreement to the arrangement before we drew up her will.’

‘How did you leave matters?’

‘That she would talk to Mr Kerr and ask if he’d be willing to meet me. We’d even made an appointment.’ Short turned away and Vera thought that even after such a brief contact, he was mourning the death of a woman whom he’d admired.

‘What happens to the money now?’ She saw that Joe was keen to get home. He knew this was unofficial overtime and wouldn’t go on his expenses sheet.

Short gave a sad smile. ‘We try to find her next of kin. No children and no immediate family, so it won’t be easy. Certainly none of the friends she’d hoped to help will benefit .’

They sat in Vera’s Land Rover to discuss the conversation. The street was quiet. ‘Well, that doesn’t help much.’ Vera fished in her pocket for the evidence bag and offered a biscuit to Joe, who shook his head. ‘Some of the people we might have considered suspects had every reason to keep Margaret alive. If they knew what she was planning, of course.’ A young couple, their arms around each other, walked down the pavement towards them. They stopped under a street light and kissed.

‘Where did she get all that money?’

Vera thought about that. ‘If she’d been frugal, she might have saved a bit when she was working for Malcolm’s father. Left on deposit for all those years, it could have grown into something substantial.’

‘Why wouldn’t she spend it, though?’ Joe couldn’t get his head round that one. ‘Why live in that tiny flat when she had the deposit for a bigger place of her own?’

Vera shook her head. ‘Maybe she just liked it where she was, being part of Kate Dewar’s family.’ She looked at her watch. ‘You’d best get on home. Sal will be making wax models of me and sticking pins in.’