‘Will do. You all right?’

‘The man in the camel hair coat thinks he knows me.’

‘Come out right now, Jane,’ Teflon insisted.

‘I can’t. It would look suspicious.’

She put the phone down.

She was about to go back to the marquee when curiosity got the better of her. Realising the metal case was the same size as the present Tony Nichols had handed George, she pulled it out from under the desk, put it on the top and opened it. Inside the silk-lined case were the barrel and stock of a Purdey shotgun. Jane got her camera out of her clutch bag and took a picture.

She returned to the marquee and saw Tony standing beside George at the top table, leaning down and whispering in his ear. As she walked to her seat, she tried not to look at them, but out of the corner of her eye she could see George glaring at her.

‘I thought you’d done a runner for a minute,’ Carl said. ‘George is about to start his father of the bride speech.’

‘I’m really sorry, Carl, but I’ve got to go. My stomach cramps are killing me and my period’s really heavy.’

‘You can have a lie-down in the house if you want.’

‘No thanks, I’m worried about staining my dress.’

‘I understand. I’ll call a cab for you.’

‘I did it while I was in the house. You stay for George’s speech and I’ll see myself out.’

‘When can I see you again, Jane?’ he asked, a little forlornly.

‘I’ll be in the cafe next week. I’ll see you then.’

She kissed him on the cheek, feeling ashamed.

*

It was still light as Jane walked along Gravel Lane. One second she was thinking about the Ripleys and Tony Nichols, and the next about Carl. Part of her was excited that she’d identified the infamous ‘Camel Hair Coat Man’, but she wondered if in doing so she’d jeopardised the whole operation and the Ripley gang now suspected they were being watched. But worse than that was the thought of the danger she’d put Carl in if George suspected she was a police officer.

She saw Teflon approaching in the cab and waved him down. He stopped and she got in.

‘You look awful.’

‘I feel awful.’

‘What happened?’

‘I’ll tell you on the way home.’

*

The speeches finished and the DJ was setting up his equipment for the disco.

George smiled as he approached Carl.

‘All right, son? Where’s your girlfriend?’

‘She wasn’t feeling well and went home.’

‘That’s a shame. She seemed a lovely girl.’

‘She is. I really like her.’

‘I’d like to have a word with you in my office.’

‘What about?’