I trudged out of town on to the main road, quickly getting tired. The ground was slippery underfoot, and the pavement ran out after a while so the cars whizzed close to my head. I was wishing I hadn’t bothered when I saw the sign for Don Samson Motors. The smell of petrol was somehow comforting as I approached.

Don was listening to Classic FM on a little radio, and was alone, whistling to himself while he wiped a spanner on an oily rag.

‘Er, hi,’ I said.

He looked surprised to see me.

‘Are you Don?’

‘Aye.’

He was from Yorkshire, I thought. I put his age at about seventy, grizzled and wiry, tattoos on his arm under his rolled-up overalls. Perhaps he’d been in the army or navy once. I explained who I was, that I was looking into Anna’s death and knew he’d been her client the day before she died.

‘You’re not with the police.’ That must have been obvious from the way I’d turned up, damp and dishevelled from the walk.

‘Well, no.’

He pointed the spanner at me. ‘You’re that lass they arrested, aren’t you?’

Stupid to think I wouldn’t be recognised in a place like this.

‘I didn’t do it, but I need to find out who did. Did the police speak to you?’

‘Called round a few days back, but they’ve not been back to ask me owt.’

Probably because they were so focused on me. I waited. Don Samson would either help me or he’d call the police. After a moment he put down the rag and spanner.

‘Cup of tea?’ he said.

Don’s tea had a faint petrol tang to it, but I didn’t mind. We sat in the little glass-fronted office that looked out on his workshop, various cars in states of disembowelment.

‘I liked her,’ he said, taking a gulp of tea. ‘Anna. She was a nice lady. Didn’t embarrass me for getting massages.’

‘Had you hurt yourself?’

‘Aye. Pulled something stretching under a Beemer – not as young as I used to be, see.’

‘And you went to her house for the massages.’

‘Aye. Not room in mine for the table, like.’

‘And . . . I’m sorry, I don’t really know what to ask. Did you see anything strange that day, at the house? You must have been one of the last people to see her.’

He thought about it. ‘She was excited, I reckon. Maybe not as focused as usual, but she did a good job all the same, very professional. Asked could we finish up a bit early since she had someone coming over.’

My heart started to race. ‘She didn’t say who?’

‘I didn’t ask, lass. I mind my business.’

If that was a little barb at me, I let it go. ‘You got the impression it was a man, maybe?’

‘Could be.’

‘Nothing else?’