“I’ve told you. I’ve said she was private. I don’t know anything about her friends or her private life. And I don’t know what’s going to happen about the funeral, whether it ought to be in London or here. I don’t know whether there are things that I ought to do. There are usually forms to fill in. People have to be told. I don’t want to bother my husband. He’s very upset about it. He liked Rhoda when they met.”

Dalgliesh said, “There will have to be a post-mortem, of course, and then the coroner may release the body. Have you some friends who could help and advise you?”

“Well, I’ve got friends at the church. I’ll speak to our vicar and perhaps he can help. Perhaps we could have the service down here, only of course she was quite well known in London. And she wasn’t religious, so perhaps she wouldn’t want a service. I hope I’m not expected to go to this clinic, wherever it is.”

“It’s in Dorset, Mrs. Brown. In Stoke Cheverell.”

“Well, I can’t leave Mr. Brown to come to Dorset.”

“There’s really no need, unless later you particularly wish to attend the inquest. Why not have a word with your solicitor? I expect that your daughter’s solicitor will be getting in touch with you. We found the name and address in her handbag. I’m sure he’ll be helpful. I’m afraid I shall need to examine her possessions, both here and in her London home. I may have to take some away for examination, but they will all be carefully looked after and later returned to you. Have I your permission for that?”

“You can take what you like. I’ve never been to her London house. I suppose I’ll have to sooner or later. There may be something valuable there. And there’ll be books. She always had plenty of books. All that reading. She always had her head in a book. What good will they do? They won’t bring her back. Has she had the operation?”

“Yes, yesterday, and I gather it was successful.”

“So all that money wasted for nothing. Poor Rhoda. She hasn’t had much luck, for all her success.”

And now her voice changed, and Dalgliesh thought she might be trying to hold back tears. She said, “I’ll ring off now. Thank you for phoning. I don’t think I can take in any more now. It’s a shock. Rhoda murdered. It’s the kind of thing you read about or see on television. You don’t expect it to happen to someone you know. And she had so much to look forward to with that scar gone. It doesn’t seem fair.”