Clare saw Nita reappear and climb back into the car. They were moving again, Chris accelerating to keep up with her as the road became straight for a few hundred yards. There were trees up ahead and Clare wondered if there might be another cottage behind them. Again, Nita signalled and pulled into the verge, Chris nosing in behind. There was a gap in the trees and Nita disappeared into it. Seconds later she was back, signalling to Chris and Clare. Chris reversed back at speed then pulled ahead of Nita’s car so he was blocking the drive. Then he killed the engine and they jumped out to join Nita and Gary.

‘Inspector?’ Natasha prompted. ‘Is this a good time? It sounds like you’re busy.’

Clare was tempted to tell Natasha she’d call her back but now she had her on the phone she wasn’t keen to let her go. She flicked the speaker off and put the phone to her ear, nodding to Chris to join Nita and Gary. ‘I understand Mr Fox had planned to sell his restaurants.’ she said, resting against the car for a moment.

‘That’s right,’ Natasha said. ‘I’d put the word out and we’d had quite a lot of informal interest already. Obviously everything’s on hold now.’

‘Do you know why he wanted to sell?’

‘Number of factors. I think he felt he’d taken the business as far as he could. Time for a change.’

Clare began walking up the drive, the phone still clamped to her ear. She stopped again, her eyes taking in the cottage. It was a pretty one-storey house built in local sandstone with Velux windows in the pitched roof. A porch had been added to the front door to form a shelter. There was a teak-coloured garden seat against one wall and to the right of the cottage a lean-to served as a log store. But her eyes were drawn to the silver Insignia parked outside the front door and she was glad Chris had the foresight to block off the drive. Nita and Gary were heading round the back while Chris waited outside the front porch.

Clare walked up the drive, her eyes everywhere, ear still glued to the phone. ‘Did he say what else he was considering?’ she asked Natasha.

‘As a matter of fact, he did ask me to look into a couple of ideas.’

‘Which were?’

Chris was knocking on the front door now. She heard him say Police. Open up, please.

Clare moved the phone away from her ear a little to listen for a response from within the house but the knock was met with silence.

Natasha was still speaking and Clare put the phone to hear ear again.

‘I believe he had a business contact in the licensed trade,’ her voice said. ‘Russell said his contact was interested in acquiring a small chain of pubs in Glasgow’s south side.’