‘Well, we don’t officially recommend anyone …’

‘Unofficially, then?’

‘Some people come in, especially first-time buyers, and they have absolutely no idea about how the process works. In those circumstances we might give them a list of solicitors that we’ve worked with before. Whether they actually choose to pick from the list or go through someone they’ve found themselves is entirely up to them.’ He paused, as if he couldn’t understand the relevance of the question. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Seiger and Sten are in York, right?’

‘That’s right.’

‘So how did they make it on to your list?’

‘Well, we have a satellite office in Harrogate. It’s only small – a poky first-floor unit in the middle of town – and we only have one person manning it, but it allows us to sell property in North Yorkshire: Harrogate itself, the whole of the borough, the western edge of York – basically, a lot of high-priced homes. Most of those enquiries won’t be drop-ins, they’ll be people who find us through the web, so as a small operation it’s actually been quite profitable.’ He stopped, realizing he’d strayed from my original question, but if what he was saying was true it explained his connection. ‘Anyway, whenever we sell a property inside the A1237, it qualifies as York, and that’s when we might suggest a solicitor that’s based in the city. Seiger and Sten are just one name.’

‘So there are others you recommend?’

‘Yes, we’ve got five or six York firms on our list.’

I relaxed a little.

‘Okay,’ I said, ‘so have you ever been to see them?’

‘Seiger and Sten? Not at their offices, no.’

‘What about the member of staff who works for you in Harrogate?’

‘I seriously doubt it. I can give you the details of Karen, our manager there, and you’re welcome to call her, but I’d be surprised if she’s driven all the way into York just to ask them a question about a house move. She’d generally talk to them on the phone.’

‘Who is it you talk to when do speak to them?’

‘The guy who runs the place, Jacob Pierce. He’s been there years. You remember I told you that they were looking after Randolph and Emiline’s estate? Well, Randolph told me one time, when I was up seeing Mum and Dad, that he remembered using Seiger and Sten when his father died – this was in the eighties – and Jacob Pierce was already working there then.’

‘So Randolph used Seiger and Sten for his dad’s estate?’

‘Correct.’

‘Any idea what made him choose them?’

‘I think he lived in York until he moved to Black Gale.’

It was hard to know what to make of any of that because it was all so utterly perfunctory. I considered again what Tori Gibbs had told me.

‘What did you make of Randolph and Emiline?’