Before Danny could answer, the phone in Judith’s handbag started ringing. Oh bloody hell, she thought to herself as she moved away from the van at speed. She really didn’t want to get caught eavesdropping, but where was the button to silence the stupid thing? She pressed all of the buttons on the side of the infernal device until it went quiet. There, that was better. She answered the call.

‘Hello,’ she whispered into the phone.

‘It’s me,’ Suzie said on the other end of the line. ‘Becks just got back. And she has news about Andy Bishop. Big news. We need you here at once.’

Chapter 27

‘So what have you got?’ Judith asked as she swept into her house, whipped off her cape and threw it onto the Blüthner as she passed.

‘Andy Bishop’s the killer,’ Becks said.

‘You’re kidding? Well, that’s what we in the bridge community call a strong opening bid.’

‘I’ve no doubt about it.’

‘Okay, so how come you’re so sure?’

‘It was how he was with me.’

‘And how was that?’

‘For starters, he was a creep. One of those men who talk to your breasts rather than look you in the eye.’

‘Bloody lech,’ Suzie said.

‘Exactly,’ Becks agreed. ‘And when he showed me out the front door, he brushed his hand over my bottom. It was vile.’

‘Do you need a whisky?’ Judith asked.

‘No, I’m fine.’

‘Are you sure? I think I’ll have a whisky.’

‘Well, since you’re asking …’ Suzie said.

‘Okay, two small whiskies to steady the nerves. Go on,’ Judith said to Becks as she went over to her sideboard and fixed a whisky for herself and Suzie.

‘Andy and I went down the High Street together,’ Becks said. ‘And I didn’t know what to say. I’d only got him out of his office to buy Suzie time.’

‘Which you did brilliantly,’ Suzie added. ‘Little good it did me. All I had time to do was photograph his diary, and it doesn’t say anything. We’ve looked.’

What Suzie was saying was true. She and Judith had checked over the photo she’d taken of Andy’s diary the moment they’d got clear of his office and had both been disappointed by what they’d discovered. His diary covered the most recent two weeks and merely listed his work appointments, none of which had any kind of connection to anyone involved in any of the murders as far as they could tell.

‘But it was clever of you to try,’ Judith said to Suzie, before turning back to Becks. ‘So you were out on the street with Andy. What on earth did you say to him?’