‘Don’t worry about it. But if you happen to remember anything else, you will let us know, won’t you?’

Fry turned, and saw Cooper, watching the waitress leave.

‘Didn’t she give us much?’ she asked.

‘I’ve only just got back myself. But Gavin says we ended up with something as vague as her descriptions were: a woman in her thirties, a man who could have been any age, because she hadn’t really taken much notice of him. It was Rose Shepherd herself that Tina remembers best.’

‘Two adults – one male, one female. Who could they have been? There aren’t many possibilities cropping up in the Shepherd enquiry so far. I suppose there’s either set of next-door neighbours, the Birtlands or the Ridgeways . . .’

‘Frances Birtland works in Matlock Bath,’ said Cooper. ‘She has a part-time job at the Masson Mill shopping village. But she’s well past her thirties.’

‘Still, it’s a connection of a kind. How far is it from Masson Mill to the tea rooms?’

‘Half a mile or so.’

‘Close enough for her to have nipped out for an hour.’

‘Her employer would have to cover for her, in that case.’

Fry nodded. ‘True. It’s getting a bit complicated for a chat over the teacups. And we’d have to place her husband in Matlock Bath, too. According to your interview report, his health isn’t too good.’

‘There is another couple we might consider,’ said Cooper. ‘Though we’ve only had contact with one of them so far.’

‘Who do you mean?’

‘Eric Grice and his sister. She lives in Foxlow. And Grice is the one person who knew Miss Shepherd and has actually been inside Bain House.’

‘You’re right,’ said Fry. ‘We ought to ask one or both of them what they were doing on Saturday, if only so we can eliminate them.’

‘We’ll have to wait to speak to the sister. Grice says she’s in Jersey.’

‘What did you make of this handyman? Do you think he was telling the truth?’

‘Of course not. I bet he was all over that house like a rash, given half a chance. Imagine – the whole village is speculating about the mysterious occupant of Bain House, and our Eric is the only one with access to the place and the chance to talk to her. There must have been all kinds of things he noticed.’

‘He’s just not ready to tell us yet, right?’

‘But he will,’ said Cooper.

‘Do you think he could have seen something relevant to the shooting?’

Cooper hesitated. ‘Well, he might be able to point us in the direction of a motive. Or of somebody with a connection to Rose Shepherd, at least. That’s what we’re lacking right now, isn’t it?’

‘If it was any of the people from Foxlow who met Rose Shepherd in the tea rooms, it means they’ve been lying to us.’