The recording fizzled to an end. Lulu Stark jabbed at her phone. “At first, I didn’t want to believe it. Seth has been conning me, not only financially but ethically too.”

We both stood in the rain-washed car park of Goddess after Lulu rang me and we had made a plan to meet.

“How long have you suspected?” I asked her.

“Not long. Just a few weeks,” she admitted. “A comedian friend of mine tipped me off about Seth, saying there were rumours about him cutting corners with my brand and being more flash with his cash.” She waggled her phone. “As soon as I heard that, I remembered that you and your colleague when you came to interview me alluded to the same thing.” She gave her long blonde hair a dismissive shake. “Seth managed to talk me round and assure me it was all idle gossip started by that disgruntled employee and that he would fix it.”

Her shoulders slumped under her raincoat. “I wanted to be proved wrong, but there you go.”

I huddled into my long coat. Through the silvery, persistent rain, Christmas trees glistened out of shop windows opposite and bursts of festive songs could be heard.

“And Seth assured you that the packaging for your Stardust beauty range was ethical?”

“One hundred percent. I insisted when we were designing it that I wanted one hundred percent post-consumer recycled plastic packaging and that the contents were to be environmentally friendly.”

“But?”

Lulu ground her jaw. “But it seems that he’s been using some second-rate material that mimics the recycled plastic and passing it off as the real thing.”

“And who is this Rick he’s talking to on your recording?”

“Rick Askew,” replied Lulu with clear disdain. “He’s a crony of Seth’s. Has been for years. He works in some PR firm, but from what I hear he’s been dabbling in a lot of shady businesses on the side.”

I glanced at Lulu’s rose-gold mobile in her hand. “Can you send me that recording please? I think I should have a word with our Mr Gordon, and Mr Askew deserves a call too.”

Lulu dusted some stray remnants of raindrops from her belted red coat. She looked like a voluptuous 50s film star. Then she delved into her shoulder bag and plucked out a white and gold satin purse embossed with Stardust. “Oh, and here are a few of the samples you asked for. I popped in the exfoliator, a body lotion, and hand cream.”

“Brilliant. Thank you.”

“What else do you need from me?”

“I need you to be careful,” I warned her. “Do you think Gordon has any indication that you know what he’s been doing?”

Lulu shook her bright-blonde head. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t. He thinks I’m still his ditzy cash cow.”