Page 108 of Murder in the Family

JJ NORTON

Those were quite some revelations about the girls, though – the therapy, the incident at the school. What did you make of it? With your professional hat on?

LAILA FURNESS

Well, as I’ve said before, one has to be very cautious about attempting any sort of analysis at third-hand, especially when we don’t even know exactly what occurred. I mean, obviouslysomethinghappened and it was serious enough for the school to insist on counselling, but it could have been a genuine accident, or just a silly prank that got out of hand.

Let’s face it we’ve all found ourselves in situations like that when we were that age, it’s part of growing up—

BILL SERAFINI

(smiling)

I can attest to that—

LAILA FURNESS

So in the absence of any other information, I’d be wary of making too much of it.

JJ NORTON

I guess we could ask Maura?

LAILA FURNESS

We could, though I gather she’s not very keen to talk to us again. But yes, we could certainly try.

BILL SERAFINI

And in the meantime our quest for the mystery lover goes on. Alan, what’ve you got on that?

(smiling)

How many MGBs were you down to last time, remind me?

ALAN CANNING

(not smiling)

There were forty-two owners in the London area and I’d spoken to sixteen of them. As at now, I’ve spoken to another fifteen.

(gets up and puts a list on the pinboard)

I also started contacting some of the women listed as owners, as I figured this man could have been driving someone else’s car. A sister, a wife—

JJ NORTON

Pretty brutal, using your wife’s car for leg-overs with your bit on the side—

ALAN CANNING

Maybe his own car would have stood out too much.

JJ NORTON

A bright red MGB is hardly shy and retiring.

LAILA FURNESS