‘Quite. Well, I’ve taken up enough of your time, Mr Borrings. Thank you very much, you’ve been very helpful.’

The man stood up and nodded at her but his friendliness had gone. Kate knew that he was the kind who normally overpowered people. From the little she had gleaned about Leonora Davidson, he had probably overpowered her. He was like a child who knew the right answer, jumping around in his chair, hand up in the air, quivering with excitement. Only he was the child the teacher normally overlooked.

‘I’m quite willing to identify the body formally, missis. Her ex-husband’s in Canada or some such place.’

‘Thank you. We’ll let you know if that will be necessary.’

Kate took her leave and drove off to the hospital for the post mortem.

When she got there she first went in to see Dorothy Smith. She had been given an injection of Diazepam to calm her down. When Kate sat beside her she saw that the woman had a glazed look in her eyes. She smiled and Dorothy tried to focus.

‘Hello, I’m Detective Inspector Burrows. I’d like to ask you a few questions if you feel up to it?’

Dorothy nodded her head.

‘Are you sure you’re OK? I can come back later.’

‘No. No, I’ll answer you. I’ll have to eventually. It may as well be now while it’s all still fresh in my mind.’

‘Did Leonora ever mention any men friends at all? Not just boyfriends, I mean friends in general. Maybe a man at work who was taking undue interest in her?’

Dorothy shook her head.

‘Never. She didn’t like men much, you see. She kept herself to herself, she was that kind of woman. I’ve known her for over fifteen years and if she had a man friend I’d know about it. We told each other everything.’ The woman’s eyes spilled over with tears.

‘She was good, was Leonora, she was kind and considerate. Why would anyone want to do that to her? Why?’

Kate was powerless to answer. Instead she placed her hand on the older woman’s and squeezed it gently, letting her cry.

When she quietened, Kate spoke again. ‘What about Fred Borrings?’

Dorothy pulled her hand from Kate’s grasp.

‘He used to look out for her, that was all. I think he would have liked to have been more than friends with her, you know, but Leonora . . .’ Her voice chocked again. ‘She didn’t want anything like that. Her husband used to knock her around and she swore she’d never ever get involved again.’

Kate stared at the woman without seeing her.

Then how the hell did the man get inside her house? Maybe he was dressed as a workman, that was an old trick. Knock on a door and say you were from the gas or the electricity board and people automatically gave you entry to their homes. But surely someone would have noticed? She would have to wait and see what was said by the people interviewed. Once all the statements were collated they would have some idea to work from.