‘As it happens, I was visiting Ezra every day towards the end. Taking him to hospital as well, making sure he was getting the right prescriptions. And I can tell you, he had a lot of prescriptions. He’d never been the healthiest of men, had he?’ Andy smiled fondly at the memory. ‘Judith Potts?’ he added as an afterthought. ‘You know, now I think about it, I don’t remember Ezra ever mentioning a Judith to me.’

‘Well, I hadn’t seen him for a while. Not until he got in touch again when he fell ill.’

‘Tell me, how did you know each other?’

Judith smiled. She’d been expecting the question.

‘We’re both Marlow residents. We’ve known each other simply ages.’

‘But how did you meet?’

‘Was it a mutual friend? I don’t remember, it must have been forty years ago.’

‘Perhaps you knew his sister?’

Judith’s smile didn’t falter, but her mind was racing. Sister? What sister? And then she realised the truth that was implied by Ezra’s will.

‘What an odd thing to say. He didn’t have a sister.’

After a moment, Andy’s face lit up.

‘Oh that’s right, he didn’t,’ he said. ‘For some reason, I always thought he had one. More fool me. Anyway, how can I help you?’

‘Well,’ Judith said, hoping her relief at passing Andy’s test wasn’t showing on her face, ‘the thing is, I’ve got a great aunt who’s very ill. Cancer of the oesophagus.’ Judith didn’t feel even a twinge of guilt at using her great aunt’s terminal illness to bamboozle Andy. She knew Betty would have thoroughly approved. ‘And she’s not got long left to be with us. But she’s appointed her solicitor as executor of her will.’

‘I see. That seems entirely sensible.’

‘Indeed. But the thing is, she’s also asked her solicitor to draw up her will.’

‘That also makes sense.’

‘In what way?’

‘It saves on cost, for one thing. And the difficulty of administration. Have the person who draws up the will also execute it. It’s neater all round.’

‘Yes, I suppose so. But this is what I don’t understand. And perhaps this is where you can help. You see, my aunt, as well as getting her solicitor to draw up her new will, and be her executor, also wants to leave a substantial bequest to the same man.’

Andy looked puzzled.

‘I see. So what exactly is it that you’re asking me?’

‘It’s just that I know that Ezra did the same with you. Shortly before he died, he got you to draw up a new will, made you executor, and also named you as the sole beneficiary.’

‘And how on earth do you know that?’

‘Ezra told me. It’s like I said. He was my friend.’

‘He spoke to you about this?’