It was half past ten before they sat down with Dalgliesh to report on the day.

Dalgliesh said, “So you’ve learnt nothing from the agent other than what we already know, that Rhoda Gradwyn was a very private woman. Eliza Melbury obviously respects that in death as she did in life. Let’s look at what you’ve brought back from Jeremy Coxon. We’ll start with the least important item, this paperback novel. You’ve read it, Benton?”

“Skimmed it quickly in the car, sir. It ends with a legal complication which I didn’t manage to grasp. A lawyer would, and the novel was written by a judge. But the plot does deal with a fraudulent attempt to conceal the time of death. I can see that it could have given Boyton his idea.”

“So it’s one more piece of evidence to confirm that Boyton did indeed come to Stoke Cheverell with the idea of extracting money from the Westhalls, an idea which, according to Candace Westhall, he originally got from Rhoda Gradwyn, who told him about the novel. Let’s get on to a more important piece of information, what Coxon told you about Boyton’s change of mood. He says that Boyton returned home despondent after his first visit, on the twenty-seventh of November. Why despondent if Candace Westhall had promised to settle? Could it be because his suspicions about freezing the body had been shown to be nonsense? Do we really believe that Candace Westhall had decided to string him along while planning some more dramatic exposure? Would any sensible woman act like that? Then, before returning here on Thursday last, when Rhoda Gradwyn was admitted for her operation, Coxon says that Boyton’s mood had changed, that he was excited and optimistic and talking about the prospect of money. He sends his text message imploring Miss Gradwyn to see him, telling her that the matter is urgent. So what happened between his first and second visits to change the whole situation? He went to Holborn Probate Office and obtained a copy of Peregrine Westhall’s will. Why, and why then? He must have known that he wasn’t a beneficiary. Isn’t it possible that, when Candace had demolished his allegation about freezing the body, she did offer him financial help, or in some way made him suspect that she wanted any argument about her father’s will to end?”

Kate said, “You’re thinking of forgery, sir?”

“It’s a possibility. It’s time to take a look at the will.”