She broke down then, and Siobhan went to comfort her. Rebus walked into the outer office and asked the secretary for a glass of water. But by the time he got back with it, Claire was already recovering. Siobhan was crouching by the side of the chair, a hand on her shoulder. Rebus offered the water. Claire rubbed at her nose with a tissue.

‘Thank you,’ she said, compressing it to the single syllable kyoo.

‘I think that’s plenty to be going on with,’ Siobhan was saying. Rebus – who privately disagreed – nodded his compliance. ‘You’ve been a big help, Claire.’

‘Really?’

It was Siobhan’s turn to nod. ‘We might be in touch again later, if that’s all right.’

‘Fine, whatever.’

Siobhan handed over her card. ‘If I’m not in the office, the pager will always find me.’

‘Okay.’ Claire slipped the card into one of her files.

‘Sure you’re all right?’

Claire nodded, stood up, clutching her files to her chest. ‘I’ve got another class,’ she said. ‘Don’t want to miss it.’

‘Dr Curt tells us you’re related to Kennet Lovell?’

She looked at him. ‘On my mother’s side.’ She paused, as if expecting a follow-up question, but Rebus didn’t have one.

‘Thanks again,’ Siobhan said.

They watched as she started to leave. Rebus was holding the door open for her. ‘Just one thing, Claire?’

She stopped beside him, staring up. ‘Yes?’ she said.

‘You told us you used to know Falls.’ Rebus waited till she’d nodded. ‘Does that mean you’ve not been there recently?’

‘I might have passed through.’

He nodded acceptance of this. She made to leave again. ‘You know Beverly Dodds though,’ he added.

‘Who?’

‘I think she made that bracelet you’re wearing.’

Claire lifted her wrist. ‘This?’ It looked very much like the one Jean had bought: polished stones drilled and threaded. ‘Flip gave it to me. Said something about it being “good magic”.’ She shrugged. ‘Not that I believe in it, of course …’

Rebus watched her leave, then closed the door. ‘What do you think?’ he asked, turning back into the room.

‘I don’t know,’ Siobhan admitted.

‘A bit of acting going on?’

‘The tears seemed real enough.’

‘Isn’t that what acting’s all about?’

Siobhan sat down in Claire’s chair. ‘If a killer’s hiding in there, it’s buried deep.’

‘Seven fin high: say Flip didn’t come up to her at a bar. Say Claire already knew what it meant.’

‘Because she’s the Quizmaster?’ Siobhan shook her head.

‘Or another player,’ Rebus said.

‘Then why bother telling us anything?’

‘Because …’ But Rebus couldn’t think of an answer for that.

‘I’ll tell you what I’m wondering.’

‘Her father?’ Rebus guessed.

Siobhan nodded. ‘There’s something she was holding back.’

‘So why did her family move?’

Siobhan was thoughtful, but couldn’t think of a quick answer.

‘Her old school might tell us,’ Rebus said. While Siobhan went to ask the secretary for a phone book, Rebus called Bev Dodds’s number. She answered on the sixth ring.