Jameson laughed. It was a sound she hadn’t heard in a long time. ‘For such an intelligent person, Augusta, you can’t half be naive.’

Bloom took the paper back. ‘I need to go and see Karene and tell her about Harry’s cousin before we head out there. Are you coming?’ Jameson had booked them both on a flight out to Normandy that afternoon and arranged for them to meet with police at Julian’s residence.

They walked the short distance from Russell Square to Cartwright Gardens where Karene had rented a studio apartment. The room was small but well-equipped with a bed, kitchenette, table and two chairs. The blind on the window matched the throw on the bed and above the headboard hung a large picture of Audrey Hepburn looking back over one shoulder with a cigarette holder to her lips.

There were notes spread across the small table.

Karene ushered them inside. Her red hair was wet from the shower and the drips of water had created dark patches on the straps of her pink sundress. Her feet were bare and her toenails painted deep purple.

‘I’ve had another email,’ she said as Jameson sat in the spare chair and Bloom perched on the edge of the bed. ‘It arrived just before you.’ She unlocked her phone and handed it to Bloom.

From: ANONYMOUS11:00

Subject: Is Harry safe?

‘They’re just trying to spook me,’ said Karene. ‘I should block them.’

Bloom showed the message to Jameson who raised his eyebrows in response.

‘Perhaps we should check in?’ Bloom said.

‘Got it.’ Jameson went out of the apartment and into the hallway.

‘What are you doing?’ asked Karene. ‘Where’s he going?’

‘Sit down for me, Karene.’

Her expression flashed panic but she did as instructed.

‘Did Harry ever mention a cousin in France?’

‘Julian?’

Bloom nodded. ‘I’m afraid I’ve some bad news. Julian was found dead on Wednesday morning.’

‘Oh my God. How? What happened?’

‘He was murdered in his kitchen.’

Karene opened and closed her mouth but said nothing.

‘Murdered how?’ she said eventually, her voice low.

‘He had his throat cut. But he’d been tortured too.’

Karene placed her hands over her mouth. Her eyes were wide and Bloom could see that her friend had joined the dots.

‘The pathologist estimates that he was murdered ten to twelve days before the body was found. So around the weekend before the ball,’ said Bloom.

Jameson came back into the room and nodded to Bloom.

‘Harry’s safe?’ she asked.

‘Yep. I spoke to the Head of Security and he’s going to keep an eye on things.’

‘Why did they torture him? What did they want?’

‘We think it might be linked to Harry,’ said Jameson. ‘That they might both have known the same secret.’

‘Have you come up with anything that involves Julian too?’ asked Bloom.