‘Yes, it’s how it looks, isn’t it? Although, if she were the killer, you’d have thought she’d have prepared her answers a bit better. I mean, I saw her twice. She and I both know I did. So why didn’t she come up with a story to explain her running away? Something like how she mistook me for someone else. Or how she was lost the first time I saw her at Stefan’s, and she was embarrassed and ran away the second time.’

Judith looked around for further inspiration and saw a man in dark green overalls doing some work to a canoe down by the river’s edge.

‘You know who that is?’ she asked.

‘An employee?’

‘Then I suggest we have a quick word with him, don’t you? I think we should find out a bit more about our recently departed hostess.’

As Judith approached the man, she could see that he was tall and rather plump, his midriff in particular seemed to strain against the cotton of his overalls. Something of a beer drinker, she thought to herself as she called out a hello.

The man had been attending to a rack of old canoes, and he stood up from his work, a spanner in his hand.

‘Hi,’ he said.

‘Sorry to interrupt, but could we ask a few questions?’

‘Sure. What about?’

‘Do you work for Liz Curtis?’

The man smiled.

‘You could say that. I’m her husband. Danny Curtis.’

Danny offered his hand, and the women introduced themselves.

‘So how can I help you?’ he asked.

‘I wonder if you can. You see, I’m Stefan Dunwoody’s neighbour. I live on the other side of the river to him. And a bit downstream.’

‘Sure, I know you. You’ve got that pile just before Hurley Lock. I see you from time to time in your garden when I’m out on the river. He died recently, didn’t he? But the papers are now saying he was murdered, aren’t they? Which is kind of hard to believe. Here in Marlow.’

‘That’s right. Can I ask, did you or your wife know Stefan Dunwoody?’

‘Can’t say I did. But Liz knew him.’

Judith and Suzie caught each other’s eyes.

‘She did?’

‘He ran the art gallery, didn’t he? Liz is always hanging out there.’

‘She knew him well?’

‘I don’t know I’d go that far. But she’d pop in for a chat with him when we were shopping in town.’

‘That’s interesting. Do you know if she ever visited his house?’

‘His home? No. I don’t suppose she knows where he lives.’

‘Was it possible she visited his house last Saturday?’