“You can’t pin it on Stephen! He never killed that woman. He wouldn’t kill anyone. He’s good and he’s kind—and I love him! We’re going to get married.”

Mrs. Rayner said, her voice gentle, “That isn’t possible, Sharon, and you know it isn’t. Mr. Collinsby is already married and has a child. I think in asking him to come back into your life you were acting out a fantasy, a dream. Now we have to face reality.”

Sharon looked at Dalgliesh, who said, “How did you discover where Mr. Collinsby was?”

“Saw him on TV, didn’t I? I was watching it in my room after dinner. I just turned it on and I saw him. That’s why I kept on watching. It was a boring programme about education, but I saw Stephen and I heard his voice, and he was just the same, only older. The programme said how he’d changed this school, so I wrote down the name and that’s where I sent the letter. He never replied to the first one, so I sent another and told him he’d better meet me. It was important.”

Dalgliesh said, “Did you make threats—either he met you or you’d tell someone that he’d lodged with your family and had known both you and your sister? Had he harmed either of you?”

“He didn’t do any harm to Lucy. He’s not one of them paedophiles, if that’s what you’re thinking. He loved her. They were always reading together up in his room or going out for treats. She liked being with him, but she didn’t care about him. She just liked the treats. And she only went up to his room because that was better than staying in the kitchen with me and Gran. Gran was always picking on us. Lucy said she was bored with Stephen, but I cared about him. I loved him. I’ve always loved him. I never thought I’d see him again but now he’s back in my life. I want to be with him. I know I can make him happy.”

Kate wondered if either Dalgliesh or Mrs. Rayner would mention Lucy’s murder. Neither did. Instead Dalgliesh asked, “So you arranged for Mr. Collinsby to meet you at the parking space for the stones. I want you to tell me exactly what happened and what passed between you.”

“You said you’d seen him. He must’ve told you what happened. I don’t see why I should have to go over it all again. Nothing happened. He said he was married but he was going to talk to his wife and ask for a divorce. And then I went back into the house and he drove away.”

Dalgliesh asked, “And that was all?”