‘Aha, and then they’d phone each of us and we could say, oh yes, we’d forgotten about him,’ said Sylvia. ‘So, Annie, would you ring and give them the description?’

‘Happy to,’ she replied. ‘They’ll have the information, and our mini-crusade remains a secret. Perfect.’

* * *

Not long after everyone had left, PC Stacey Smith and Jay Acharya knocked at Annie’s door.

‘Thank heavens for that,’ said Stacey. ‘At least you’re in. We wanted to speak to everyone involved in these night-time visits, but the others are all out. Can we come in, please?’

Annie opened the door and showed them into the lounge, where Callum was just slipping his precious notebook under a cushion.

‘How can I help?’ she said, pointing to the sofa. ‘And would you like some tea?’

‘Er, no tea this time, thank you.’ Stacey looked at her. ‘Annie, does the name Teddy mean anything to you?’

‘As in bear?’ She frowned, puzzled.

‘As in a boy’s name,’ said Jay.

Her frown deepened. ‘No, not that I can think of. It’s a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it?’

The two police officers turned to Callum. ‘Do you know anyone with that name, Callum?’ asked Stacey.

He shook his head. ‘’Fraid not. I’ve never met anyone called Teddy.’

‘Can I ask who this Teddy is, and why he’s so important?’ Annie said.

Stacey and Jay glanced at each other. Jay said, ‘It’s just a name that’s been mentioned in connection with Nan Cutler. We’re following it up, in case there’s a link to the photographs.’

‘I’m really sorry, Officers, but it means nothing to me.’

Annie watched them go. Teddy. Did one of the others know who he was?

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Kevin and Gary were lost in admiration. With her friendly face and gentle waves of silver hair, Avril Cooke could have passed for a woman in her seventies. They offered their condolences on the death of her friend. She told them how much she had enjoyed Nan’s company, saying she would miss their weekly visits.

‘We understand that Nan fell out with a woman from her church, someone who lived in the same street as her.’

‘Oh, the Becker woman,’ Avril said dismissively.

‘Can you tell us what it was about?’ Kevin asked.

‘Has she got something to do with Nan’s death? Only it wouldn’t surprise me. Wicked, wicked woman!’ Avril’s eyes filled with tears.

Kevin leaned forward and touched her hand. ‘Please, don’t distress yourself, Avril. She didn’t cause Nan’s death. We need to know as much as we can about Nan and her life and why she felt so strongly about Andrea Becker, so we can build up a picture of what happened.’