‘What if Andy comes and looks out of the window?’ Suzie asked in a whisper.

‘He won’t.’

‘But if he does, he’ll see you sitting there.’

‘He’s not going to close that window. It’s boiling hot.’

‘What if he does, though?’

Judith twisted in the wheelchair and looked firmly up at Suzie.

‘Now is not the time for backing down,’ she hissed. ‘We’re seeing this through, for good or for ill.’

Suzie quailed. Gulped. Nodded.

‘Okay,’ she said.

Judith checked the watch on her wrist.

‘Bloody hell, what’s she up to in there?’

The truth was, Becks hadn’t been able to find a kitchenette of any description on the ground floor. It had taken her only a few moments to poke around and find a cleaning cupboard and a stationery room in the corridor behind the main staircase. But there’d also been a rickety old servants’ staircase. Knowing how important her part in the plan was, she’d gone up it.

So, as Judith and Suzie were outside waiting underneath Andy’s window, Becks was on the first floor, trying to find the office kitchenette. There has to be one somewhere, Becks thought to herself. All she could see were heavy gloss-white doors, each with the name of a solicitor on a plaque to the side. Where was the bloody kitchenette?

But then she saw an opening at the end of the corridor that had no door to it, so she headed towards it and was thrilled to see that it led into the office kitchenette. Checking that no one else was in the corridor to see her go in, she slipped into the little room.

Inside, a short, fat man was standing by the kettle.

Adrenaline flooded Becks’ system. This was Andy Bishop, wasn’t it? Unless there were two very short, fat men who worked in the building, which seemed very unlikely.

‘Hello,’ Andy said with a delighted smile.

Becks’ instinct told her that Andy was trying to be flirty, but that couldn’t be possible, could it?

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Andy Bishop, how do you do?’ he said, offering his hand.

‘Mrs Rebecca Starling,’ Becks said, shaking Andy’s hand. It was clammy.

‘So what are you here for? I can’t imagine it’s a divorce.’

Oh God, Becks thought to herself. He’s trying to chat me up.

‘I’m sorry, it’s a private matter. But I was looking for a glass of water. It’s such a hot day.’

‘It sure is,’ Andy said as he finished making himself his cup of tea. ‘You should take your coat off,’ he added with a wink. ‘It’s too hot to be wearing coats indoors.’