‘She encouraged me. Said it was a great idea. Said she and Gerald would invest money and swore blind it would happen. She helped pick the van, came up with the marketing – she told me her sister was in marketing, and would come up with a plan for us, but when it came to putting money in, suddenly she went quiet. We’d already signed the agreement with the garage. They were meant to split the monthly repayments with us, fifty-fifty. I trusted her.’ Pauline’s voice wavered. ‘She said we would be in it together, but when it came to the crunch she was only interested in looking after herself.’

‘Well.’ Janet took her time to process the new information. ‘You kept that quiet.’

‘What could I say?’ A tear ran down from beneath the sunglasses. ‘Look, I’d rather this stayed between us. I don’t want anyone else to know.’ I bet you don’t, thought Janet, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

‘Did you have an agreement or anything? Anything on paper?’

‘No,’ Pauline said so quietly, Janet had to strain to hear her. ‘And now Roger and I are on the brink of losing everything.’

12

11am 24 June

Elly and Palmer returned to Parkside police station just as the rain broke.

‘It probably won’t last,’ Elly said enthusiastically, after Palmer told her about his son’s planned birthday party that afternoon.

Palmer, who had a face like thunder, was not going to allow himself to be hopeful.

The incident room was a flurry of activity as he made his way towards Barrett’s office.

Barrett was hunched over his desk, carefully inspecting sheets of notes.

‘Come in.’ He waved his hand without looking up.

‘We spoke to Ms Clutterbuck, sir. She confirms that the victim also told her she was raped.’

‘Name?’

‘No name, sir. Ms Clutterbuck did say that she got the feeling the victim was more concerned that she’d been recognised than she was about the procedure.’

‘Right. Come here. Some new information has come to light.’ Barrett thrust some papers towards Palmer, which had lines highlighted in fluorescent pen. Palmer accepted the paperwork and sat on a chair against the wall, scanning the highlighted messages.

‘We lifted this from Mrs Jones’ computer. The messages you see are between her and someone called Pauline Robinson. She was a member of the book club, who I have confirmed was there the night the victim was murdered.’

Palmer continued reading.

PAULINE ROBINSON: Where is the money?

TONI JONES: I haven’t got it.

PAULINE ROBINSON: Why not?

TONI JONES: Gerald won’t give me any.

PAULINE ROBINSON: You promised. You said you were on board. I can’t do this without your help. You’ve screwed us.

TONI JONES: Don’t be so over dramatic.

PAULINE ROBINSON: I beg your pardon? How dare you.