‘Probably cost about that, yeah.’

‘Worth thinking about it.’ She winked. Priest was forced to agree, but there would be time to think about that later: for now there was something else preying on his mind.

‘Look, I can’t stop you from doing anything, but it would really help me if Simeon’s murder was kept out of the papers for now.’

Her eyes lit up. ‘Are you asking me for a favour?’

‘No, that would be unprofessional. I’m just saying – it would help.’

She smiled – a little impish. Priest wasn’t sure he liked it. ‘How about I give you a head start?’

‘How long?’

‘A fair amount of time, but of course the public has a right to know.’

He thought about pressing it, but now wasn’t the time. Besides, what difference would it really make? It was all going to come out soon anyway and trying to get his own injunction against Fox would leave the door open for Hagworth to walk all over the main case. No – he didn’t have the leverage, so he’d have to settle for Fox’s ‘head start’.

‘What will you do now?’ he asked her.

She shrugged and put her hand on the door handle but didn’t open it. ‘Probably have a bath with at least two bottles of Pinot Grigio. You, erm –’ she turned and looked at him ‘– want to join me?’

He smiled back. Passed her his business card. ‘Mind how you go, Elinor.’

She feigned a disappointed face. She got out of the car, didn’t shut the door immediately but leant over it, her coat falling open just a little and showing a blouse loosely buttoned over a pink bra. A little taste, Priest surmised, of what he would be missing.

‘Can I tag along with you tomorrow?’ she asked, biting her lip while she waited for the reply.

‘What makes you think . . .’

‘I know you’re not going to leave it to the police to look into Simeon’s murder. Two heads are better than one, don’t you think? After all, we both have a vested interest in the outcome.’

‘I might salvage the trial and you might get off the hook?’

‘Something like that.’ She swept her hair away from her face. ‘I don’t want to stalk you or anything, I just want to tag along. I had a stalker once, at university. He used to send me flowers and cards and stand outside my bedroom window at night. It really wasn’t very nice, so I’m not going to do that to you.’

She winked. There was something very elfin about her petite features that Priest liked. Maybe I was a little hasty to turn down her offer. Then he remembered his date with Jessica tomorrow night: the thought evaporated and he felt ashamed for even contemplating it.

‘I’ll think about it,’ he said.