‘I’ve never really spoken to them about her, but I got the impression she was quite frail and kept herself to herself.’

‘OK, that’s all for now, Mrs Clarke. Thanks for your assistance and I hope your husband has a speedy recovery.’

Jane finished her biscuit and took a last sip of her tea.

‘Thank you, dear. I’ll remember to ask Ronald your questions, and like I said I’ll ring you after I’ve visited him in hospital.’

After leaving Helen Clarke’s flat, Jane spoke briefly to both neighbours. One couple said they had moved in just after Mrs Smith was admitted to the hospice, just over a year ago, and had never met her. The other couple said they had lived next to Elizabeth Smith for five years, had never been in her flat, and only occasionally spoke to her by way of saying hello, and she often ignored them or just nodded. As far as they knew Mrs Smith was in her mid-seventies, a widow, though there was a man in his mid-to late forties who sometimes visited her, and it could well have been her son or other close relation. The neighbours didn’t even realise she had owned garage 29.

It seemed to Jane that Elizabeth Smith had been a bit of a loner and not very sociable. She hoped contacting the estate agents who dealt with the sale of her flat might reveal more about who she left the property to in her will and thereby help to trace her extended family. It was also possible they might know more about the garage, and if anyone was using it prior to the sale of the property.

Jane then went to 14 Edgar House to speak to Rita Brown, who shortly after the robbery had seen two men walking along Blake Hall Road towards Felstead Road, carrying a large black holdall. The door was opened by a short rotund man who must have been in the middle of his dinner, as he had traces of food in his grey beard. He looked to be in his early to mid-sixties and was dressed casually in a blue shirt, black trousers and white socks. Jane showed him her warrant card and explained why she wanted to talk to Mrs Brown.

‘I’m Peter, her husband. Rita’s in the living room watching Nationwide.’

‘I’m on the team investigating the robbery in Leytonstone—’

‘Funnily enough, we’ve just been watching the news and the robbery was mentioned. Reporter said they shot an off-duty officer and at a police car, causing it to crash. Scum of the earth, these bank robbers!’

Jane nodded. ‘I’d like to speak to your wife about the two men she saw in Blake Hall Road just after the robbery.’

‘We were discussing the two men she saw and I went over everything with her in detail – as a result she’s remembered something else that caught her eye.’