“Well, after dinner I went straight to the hall and collected a load of programs from the music storeroom. I didn’t see anyone around who shouldn’t have been there, I’m afraid. I went back later for some more programs, and went to the loo as well. But I wasn’t paying too much attention; it was pretty chaotic except for the actual corridor down to Music 2, because the only people going down there were the people selling programs. Jess Bennett turned up in the hall at one point, looking for Miss Callaghan, and I sent her backstage because I’d noticed Miss Callaghan there when I came out of the loo, ticking off one of the choir for the state of her hair. That’s about all I remember.

“It’s pretty frightening, really, isn’t it? I mean, it’s got to have been someone who knew the place well, hasn’t it? And that more or less means someone we all, or at least some of us, know.” Caroline dried up finally. She suddenly looked very young.

“I’m inclined to think so,” said Lindsay. “Tell me, did you see Sarah Cartwright or her father at all on Saturday after the business at the craft fair?”

Caroline thought for a moment. “I didn’t see him,” she said positively. “He certainly wasn’t at the concert. As for Sarah—I plodded along to her room when I got back from tea, just to see if she felt like coming in for dinner and wanted a bit of moral support. I knocked at her door, but there was no reply. I tried the handle, but the door was locked. I just assumed she was either asleep or not in the mood for company, so I buzzed off again.”

Lindsay reckoned there wasn’t much more they could hope to find out from Caroline, so she flicked a glance at Cordelia, got to her feet, and said, “Thanks for being so honest with us. If you fancy a chat about anything, I expect we’ll be sticking around for a few days. Okay?”

Cordelia’s mouth twisted into a sardonic smile as she followed her friend on to the landing, and she said drily, “The working-class hero never gives up the struggle, does she?”

By now Lindsay was beginning to take Cordelia’s mockery in her stride. It forced her to keep her wits about her. So she replied mildly, “This place is so well defended that you can’t expect me to ignore a chink in the armor. Now: do you want a conference, or shall we go straight on to see Sarah Cartwright? We should get her out of the way, I suppose.”