Charlie crossed the road and rounded a corner into a residential street lined with tall Victorian terraces set back from the pavement and fronted with black iron railings.

‘I recognise this road,’ said Georgie, turning a full circle and taking it in.

‘That’s right,’ Charlie agreed, heading about halfway down before turning into one of the pathways and pressing a doorbell.

‘This is your sister’s house,’ Georgie said, recognition suddenly hitting her.

‘That’s right.’

‘Why . . .?’

The door swung open and Sarah Boatman tumbled out. She seemed surprised and, with a bag over her shoulder already, Georgie guessed that she was just on her way to work.

‘Charlie?’

Charlie cleared his throat. ‘Good morning.’

‘I’m just . . .’

‘I only need a second.’

*

Georgie stood in Sarah’s hallway looking at the pictures on the wall. Most of them were of Tilly, Charlie’s six-year-old niece, in various situations, invariably with a grin spread across her impish face.

There were a few of Sarah holding her as a baby. Sarah’s hair was a different colour in every photo but each time she looked nowhere near as tired and run-down as a new mother should be. She had the Priest family blue eyes and Charlie’s smile. Her husband, Ryan, was noticeably absent from the photographic montage. Georgie had never met Ryan – she had only met Sarah a few times – but she was aware of Charlie’s deep-rooted dislike of his brother-in-law which he did very little to hide. Luckily, it didn’t seem as if Ryan was home. Tilly, presumably, was at school.

She shuffled closer to the kitchen so she could make out the voices a little better – not that this was in any way a form of eavesdropping but there were some particularly stunning landscape shots further down that caught her attention.

‘Do you mind awfully if I have the spare keys to Bristol Road?’ she heard Charlie ask.

‘Why?’ Sarah sounded wary.

‘Because I’d like to gain access.’

‘Charlie, I’m sure there are loads of people out there who find you endearing but to me you’re really quite annoying.’

‘Thank you.’

‘The property’s let, remember?’ Sarah pointed out.

‘It appears the tenant may have absconded.’

Georgie distinctly heard Sarah exhale heavily. ‘What have you got yourself into this time, Charlie?’

‘Nothing you need to worry about.’

‘Don’t patronise me or so help me God—’

‘I didn’t mean it like that,’ Charlie placated. ‘I mean – it’s nothing. Really. The guy just didn’t show up at court this morning, that’s all.’

‘The thing on TV about the Elias Foundation? Wow, I really hope you know what you’re doing.’

‘Fortunately, I know a really good PR agent if it turns out that I don’t.’

‘You’re going to need more than a good PR agent if you lose that trial, Charlie. They’re talking about it everywhere – I’m even getting shit about it from clients.’