‘And where exactly is it?’

‘Halfway up the Wycombe Road, on the way out of Marlow.’

‘Oh I know the one. Three-bed bungalow, plenty of potential for development, on for six hundred and fifty thousand pounds.’

The other two women looked at Becks, surprised.

‘You know that?’

‘Or nearest offer, but it will make the asking price. A local builder will snap it up, I imagine, knock it down and build something more substantial.’

‘How do you know that?’ Suzie asked.

Becks had the good grace to look a touch embarrassed.

‘I’m interested in the local property market.’

‘But you knew the exact amount it’s selling for!’

‘Yes, well it’s like I say, I’m interested.’

‘Do you know all of the house prices in Marlow?’

‘Of course not. That would be stupid.’

‘But you know the price of a bungalow on the Wycombe Road.’

‘A lucky coincidence,’ Becks said modestly.

‘What about the house that’s for sale on the High Street?’ Suzie asked. ‘Next door to the pet shop?’

‘Oh I don’t know,’ Becks said, but the other two women could see she was lying.

‘Go on,’ Judith said, grinning. ‘I bet you know exactly what it’s on for.’

‘Well, since you’re asking, eight hundred thousand, but I wouldn’t touch it with a bargepole. It’s not got off-street parking, and none of the bedrooms are en suite, not even the master bedroom. And these days, that’s the least you’d expect for a family home.’

Judith clapped her hands together in delight.

‘It’s like having Google right here, isn’t it? What about that glass monstrosity that’s for sale further down the river from me? I’ve always wanted to know how much that’s on sale for.’

‘You mean the “architect-built family home”, five bedrooms, each with en suite, over two hundred feet of river frontage? It’s on for three point one million.’

‘That’s a lot of money,’ Judith said. ‘But it explains why Iqbal was so angry, doesn’t it? If he missed out on inheriting a house worth six hundred and fifty thousand pounds. It would make anyone angry.’

‘Especially someone who was saving up to buy a nice boat. That sort of money would have paid for a real beauty.’

‘So who was this doughy, short, fat man?’ Suzie asked.

‘Oh that shouldn’t be hard to uncover,’ Judith said.

‘You think so?’

‘It should be quite straightforward. The fact that Ezra’s house is on the market suggests that his will has cleared probate. And once a will does that it goes into the public domain.’

‘How do you know that?’