Charlie believed him about his lack of curiosity. She also knew that, like most men, he had to prove he knew more, had to be the one steering things. ‘Then you get yourself a client who pays over the odds,’ she went on, hoping she’d guessed right. ‘She pays you so much, you can think about giving up work and wasting the rest of your life antagonising tiny audiences in dingy pubs and clubs all over the country. Your sponsor. Not Aidan Seed. You said you didn’t like him, so it can’t be him who’s bought your loyalty. It’s Mary Trelease, isn’t it? She’s the one who paid you to tail Ruth Bussey.’

Mary, with her refined accent and her Villiers education, so out of place on the Winstanley estate. Who else could it be? ‘Or Gemma Crowther,’ Charlie added, just in case. ‘Which one’s funding your comedy comeback? Mary or Gemma?’

‘Neither.’ Kerry looked smug. ‘Unless one of them left a will I’ve yet to hear about.’

‘What did you say?’

‘You’re barking up the wrong tree.’ He pronounced each word slowly and carefully as if he was talking to an imbecile.

Pretend you know already. Pretend you know what he knows, or thinks he knows. ‘Did Aidan Seed kill Gemma Crowther? Did he kill Mary Trelease?’

Kerry’s eyes narrowed. He looked like a smug cat. ‘I’ll give you this much: you’re one step ahead of your Cockney counterpart. ’

‘Dunning didn’t know Mary Trelease was dead,’ said Charlie, aware of her pulse charging beneath her skin.

‘He seemed a mite confused,’ Kerry agreed.

‘He talked about her as if she was still alive. Asked you if you knew her.’ Charlie didn’t know where she was going with this, but it felt right. She wished Simon was with her. ‘Did you tell him she was dead?’

Kerry held up his hands. ‘Not my responsibility to set him straight. If he comes back with his warrant tomorrow as promised, he’ll get no illumination from me, nor from my pristine office. I don’t tell anyone anything.’

‘Unless cash changes hands. I know,’ said Charlie impatiently. ‘All right, then—how much? Name your price for telling me everything you know that relates to Aidan Seed, Mary Trelease . . .’

‘Charlie, sweetheart, don’t demean yourself. You’re not going to be able to claim it back on expenses, you know.’

‘. . . and Martha Wyers.’

That wiped the smile off his face.

‘Dunning didn’t ask you about her, did he? Come on, name your price.’

‘I’m out of your league,’ said Kerry. ‘Financially speaking. Unless you’re offering payment in kind.’ He stared at Charlie’s chest and ran his tongue along his bottom lip. ‘I might be persuaded. ’

‘Yeah, right. Is your bedroom still covered in fake leopard skins?’

‘Leopard skins are sexy, señorita.’