‘Thank you,’ said William, who closed the front door, and followed her through to the kitchen. Once she’d put the kettle on, she said, ‘Please, sit down, young man, and tell me how I can help you.’

William took out the photograph of Ralph Neville and placed it on the kitchen table. ‘When you were on the Sevenoaks run yesterday afternoon, did you see this man?’

‘I most certainly did,’ said Rose, as she poured William a cup of tea. ‘Sugar?’

‘No, thank you. What makes you so sure you recognize him?’

‘Shouldn’t think a gentleman like that travels by bus too often, at least not dressed as if he was going to a wedding.’ William didn’t interrupt. ‘What I remember most was, when I gave him his ticket he didn’t have any loose change on him, just a five-pound note. And what’s more, Mrs Haskins, one of my regulars, told me later that he must have run out of petrol, because he’d left his flashy car by the side of the road.’ She paused, took a sip of tea and said, ‘Does he want his money back?’

‘His money?’ repeated William.

‘The change from the five-pound note, although he did say I could keep it. Anyway, he’s got a snowball’s chance in hell of getting it back,’ chuckled Rose, ‘because I put it on the collection plate this morning, and I can’t see the vicar giving it back.’

William laughed. ‘I don’t suppose you saw where he went after he got off the bus?’

‘He walked across the road to the taxi rank.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘Oh yes. I thought he might be going to get some change, and would be coming back for his fiver, but he just got in the back of a taxi and off he went.’

‘I don’t suppose you’d recognize the taxi driver?’ said William hopefully.

‘No, sorry love,’ said Rose, as the young woman reappeared.

‘Any hope of you carting Mum off to jail, Chief Inspector?’

‘Not quite yet, but if she tries to make a dash for it, I’ve got the handcuffs ready,’ said William, as he finished his tea.

‘Pity,’ said her daughter. ‘My boyfriend was hoping to spend the night.’

‘You can forget it,’ said Rose firmly. ‘That’s not going to happen until I see an engagement ring on your finger, and maybe not even then.’

‘Thank you, Rose,’ said William, as he stood up. ‘I ought to get going.’

‘Of course.’

William paused as she opened the front door for him. ‘You’ve made my day,’ he said.

‘Mine too,’ said Rose, ‘because I wouldn’t have wanted to tell the vicar he was going to have to give that fiver back. Mind you, I have a feeling the man in the photograph won’t miss it.’

William bent and kissed the shrewd woman on both cheeks, which was rewarded with a warm smile. He walked down the path, climbed into the back of the waiting cab, and noticed the meter was still ticking.