Vera nodded. She couldn’t trust herself to speak because she might cheer.

‘I think she was here that morning. I didn’t tell the police because I wasn’t sure. You know, I couldn’t swear an oath that it was that particular day.’

Vera nodded again. ‘But you think it was.’

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘Yeah. She came in quite often and always drank the same thing. Small, black decaff americano. I got it ready whenever I saw her coming.’ The blush deepened and Vera thought he’d fancied Jenny Lister, that he’d had adolescent fantasies about the older woman.

‘Did she meet anyone that day?’ Vera asked. ‘You’d remember that, wouldn’t you? Because there’d be another order too, besides the decaff, and that would be unusual.’

‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘I’d remember that. But she didn’t meet anyone.’ He paused. He didn’t want to stick his neck out, hated the idea of being wrong.

‘Anything you can tell me would be useful. An impression even.’

‘I thought she was waiting for someone.’ The words came out in a rush. He needed to speak before he lost his nerve.

‘Did she tell you she expected a friend to join her?’

‘No. But she looked up whenever anyone came into the room, kept looking at her watch.’

‘What time was this?’ Vera asked.

‘Early. Before nine o’clock. That was unusual too. Usually she came in after she’d been for a swim.’

‘How could you tell she hadn’t?’

‘Her hair was still dry. Usually it was a bit damp at the ends. Like she hadn’t bothered to use the hairdryer. And there wasn’t that smell of chlorine about her.’

‘Thank you.’ Vera gave him her biggest grin. ‘You should think of joining the police. You’re wasted here.’

Then she was off on the prowl again. No Karen on reception, of course. She was at home mourning her son. A skinny young woman who recognized Vera sat in Karen’s place and let her through without a word. She found Ryan Taylor in his office.

‘You’ll have heard about Danny Shaw.’

‘Of course.’

‘What’s the word in the hotel? They’ll all be talking about it.’ Vera perched on the corner of his desk. Looking down on his small round head, she saw his hair was thinning at the crown.

‘They’re scared,’ Taylor said. ‘Mrs Lister’s death, that was a bit exciting. Nobody really knew her. It’s like watching a horror movie on the telly, isn’t it? I mean, you quite enjoy being scared, but you know it’s not real.’

‘But Danny’s death was real?’

‘Yeah, we didn’t all like him, but we knew him. I suppose people are wondering who’ll be next. We’re all selfish bastards at heart, aren’t we?’