The detective found the studio in a cobbled mews behind a very swanky set of Regency frontages. The business was one of half a dozen sharing a very small terraced house in what had originally been stables. Looking at the value of the properties, something he had also done on his journey up, seemed to show that a hefty wodge of family money must have been involved from the outset.

Buzzed in, Gillard clambered up four flights of rickety wooden stairs passing through numerous millennial-filled businesses promising a new edge in social media, online marketing and design, each light and airy and staffed by young enthusiastic and attractive people of all races. He ended up in an open-plan, shared kitchen area. Kiara called down to him from the final staircase, a rickety open cast iron spiral. He climbed into a lengthy loft space which resembled nothing so much as an art gallery. It was gloriously lit through a very large skylight, and Kiara’s creations were mounted on life-size, chicken-wire mannequins. There was some quite challenging erotic art on the walls too, intimate photographs that for all the subtle lighting left nothing to the imagination.

‘Detective, welcome to my humble place of work.’ Kiara was wearing a pleated, gauzy mini-skirt and a loose white open-weave woollen, which hung off the shoulder at one side. Her mahogany skin showed clearly through both garments, along with a skimpy pink petticoat that matched her gloves. She looked even more delicious than the first time he had seen her. Her short white hair played off her exquisite bone structure and her long slender neck.

‘Nice place,’ Gillard said, trying to tear his eyes away from her. ‘How’s business?’

‘Well, we’re just getting going, to be honest. I’ve had some very interesting commissions, and there is plenty of publicity, much of it I’m glad to say before this week’s events. I’ve just got this one creation to finish up for a show on Saturday and then I’m going to take a few days off, to try to get my head round what has happened.’

‘I don’t blame you. I hope you have been able to ask all the questions you need of Gabby Underwood? Her job is to be a point of contact.’

Kiara shrugged. ‘I haven’t thought about what I need to ask yet, but I’m sure I’ll get there.’

‘As I mentioned to you on the phone, my reason for being here today is that you had mentioned you saw your mother on Saturday, the day before—’

‘You don’t need to remind me what day it was before, Mr Gillard.’ She offered him coffee and he accepted. After she had been down to the kitchenette and brought up two mugs, she pointed him towards the only place to sit, a large, low and very battered leather sofa. It was rather more intimate than he was used to for this kind of interview. She tucked her legs beneath her as she nestled in the corner, and patted the seat beside her. As he lowered his considerable weight, the settee wheezed and settled, lifting her up by an inch or two.