‘Keep off the bed!’ Elsie warned as she leaned against it. ‘Not unless you want those fancy black pants of yours covered in flea powder.’

Sarah bit back a smile. ‘Oh, sorry,’ she said, stepping back. ‘I didn’t realise.’ As for her fancy pants – hardly, given an elastic band connected the button to the buttonhole concealed beneath her shirt.

‘It’s Gregory and Officer Dibble,’ Elsie explained. ‘Those dirty purdys are out hunting all day long.’

‘I’m sure,’ Sarah said, presuming the ‘dirty purdys’ were her cats. ‘A clowder of cats,’ Sarah mused, pointing to the felines winding their tails around her legs. ‘It’s the term for the collective,’ she continued, in an effort to bond with the woman who had regarded her with suspicion since she had entered the house. ‘I’m owned by Sherlock myself, a ginger tom. He doesn’t like me very much, but he’s company.’

‘Uh-huh.’ Elsie sat with legs spread wide to accommodate her extra flesh. ‘Mine are presents from my son. Christian’s got a soft heart. He keeps bringing strays home.’ She pointed to a nearby stool. ‘Take a pew.’ It seemed Sarah’s cat had earned her acceptance.

‘I bet you were surprised when you saw me. I’ve grown since we were in school.’

It was a difficult question for Sarah to answer. ‘We’ve all changed a great deal,’ she said with a smile. ‘It’s nice to see you again.’ She nodded towards the window as a bread van trundled past. ‘The place hasn’t changed much, apart from all the gated communities springing up.’

‘There’s nothing wrong with wanting to feel safe in your bed.’ Elsie’s cat purred loudly as she rhythmically stroked its fur. ‘Christian has been a blessing. It’s just the two of us at home since Mom and Pop died. He’s an estate agent, y’know. Although he’s real good at computer games.’ Sarah paused to take her son’s details as she updated the police records. Now that she recalled it, this was Elsie’s family home. She had never left. Progressing the interview, she asked if Elsie had seen anything suspicious the night before.

‘Nope, not a dicky bird.’ Elsie glanced at the yellowing window blinds. ‘I fell asleep, which is a minor miracle in itself. Christian woke me at midnight. Said there were some teenagers outside, but he scared them away.’

‘Which is why you reported the damage to your gate?’

Elsie nodded. ‘It’s nothing really. Christian will fix it when he gets home.’ Sarah made note of her comments. By the look of it, Christian had a lot on his plate.

‘Are you sure about the time?’ Sarah remarked. A gate off its hinges was hardly the crime of the century, but the elements of her police training still remained: question everything, then question it again.