Perez stood on the pavement and felt the heat reflect from it. After his meeting with the team from Bright Star Productions, he couldn’t face seeing Eleanor’s mother that evening. He’d had an early start and the travel and the encounter with Fran’s parents had left him restless and lacking in concentration. He knew that his decision to keep custody of Cassie was purely selfish – she was all he had left of the woman he’d adored – but it had been Fran’s wish and, no matter what her parents thought, there was no way he would change his mind. He found himself walking through the streets until he came to a quiet coffee shop. It was eight at night and he marvelled that the place was still open. A couple of students with laptops sat at the tables. He ordered tea and a toasted sandwich and perched on a high stool at a counter near the window and watched the passers-by. He phoned Eleanor’s mother.

‘Yes?’ An imperious voice, but one that sounded old and exhausted.

He asked if he might visit her the next morning.

‘I suppose so, but I’m not sure what good it will do. My daughter wasn’t killed in London, after all.’

‘But you might have some questions for me,’ Perez said. ‘We could have a conversation about Eleanor.’

There was a pause. He imagined her sipping from a glass by her side. Perhaps he even heard the faint sound of her pouring more wine. ‘Yes,’ she said. ‘I’d like that.’

‘What time would you like me to come?’

‘Whenever you like. I won’t be at work. They’ve forced me to take compassionate leave, though I think I’d be better off there.’ She paused. ‘Not too early, though. I’ve never done early mornings.’

‘Eleven o’clock?’

‘Fine. Whatever.’ The teenage slang sounded strange coming from her. She’d lost interest in the conversation now, he thought.

‘I’ll see you then.’ But he thought she might have cut off the conversation before he’d even finished speaking.

Willow Reeves answered her mobile so quickly that he wasn’t ready to speak to her and he wasn’t quite sure what to say.

‘Jimmy? Are you there?’ Amused rather than irritated by his failure to speak, when he’d been the one to make the call. ‘Do you have anything useful?’

‘It sounds as if Eleanor’s company wasn’t doing as well as her friends led us to believe. Maybe this ghost show was just about keeping it solvent. It might be worth getting the forensic accountants to check out the figures.’

‘I can certainly organize that.’ Her voice was suddenly very clear. He could imagine her in the next room.

‘Eleanor had made contact with a couple who’d claimed to see Peerie Lizzie,’ he said. ‘They’re called Arthur, and they live in Unst.’ A pause. ‘The address is Meoness.’