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‘Now this is interesting,’ Jacks declared as he absorbed the information he’d just downloaded onto his screen. ‘Seems Iz’s social media team is up to the task after all.’

Cristy put aside the lawyer’s letter they’d just received from Symmonds-Browne’s father – second cousin to the actual duke – informing them that their client had no wish to participate in their series and would appreciate not being contacted again. ‘We’re all listening,’ she told Jacks.

‘There’s a voicemail,’ Jacks explained, ‘from someone claiming to be Hilary Stokes.’

He had everyone’s attention now. ‘You mean, the Butlin’s bar manager who worked with Lukas Andris?’ Clover asked for clarity. ‘What does she say?’

‘Here, have a listen,’ and removing his earpods, he set the message to replay on speaker.

‘ Hi, I’m Hilary Stokes and I think you might be looking for me – or more specifically for Lukas Andris. It’s been a long time since Lukas and I were in touch and I’m afraid I have no idea where he is now, but there is someone who might be able to help. Her name is Natalie Irwin. She worked at Butlin’s at the same time as me and Lukas, and they were always quite close. She knew his sister, Janina, as well, and the little girl. The last time I heard from Talia she was in Canada, as far as I know she’s still there. If you like I’ll try to get in touch and ask if she can throw any light on things. Or feel free to call me if there’s anything you’d like to discuss. ’

‘OK, she sounds on the level,’ Connor declared, ‘so make your next task to contact her while Cristy and I go do this promo for Iz’s Rapid Retail guys. Natalie Whatsit’s details are paramount so we can reach out to her ourselves, so make sure Hilary Stokes understands we’d like her to act sooner rather than later. Clove? You’re looking worried.’

‘Just googling the list of lowlifes Cristy passed on from Nice-Matin ,’ Clover explained. ‘I’ve got to tell you, I’m not up for going anywhere near one of this lot …’

‘You won’t have to,’ Cristy assured her. ‘None of us will. It’s too dangerous.’

‘What are we thinking about this Matis Albescu?’ Clover asked. ‘It obviously can’t be the guy who got killed back in 2002, but it sure as hell looks like him – although this one seems younger … Maybe father and son?’

‘Could well be,’ Cristy agreed, ‘but don’t let’s get hung up on him. He’s never going to lead us to Symmonds-Browne, none of them will, there wouldn’t be anything in it for them. Luckily, there are other ways.’

‘All ears,’ Jacks piped up.

Resigning herself to the inevitable, she said, ‘Give Matthew a call and ask if he’ll sound out his contact at Interpol for us – presuming the guy’s still alive and functioning.’ After a beat she added, ‘If Matthew wants to know what he gets in return tell him I spent over an hour on FaceTime with his wife and son on Saturday evening while he was schmoozing with the rich and famous at a black-tie charity dinner, so he owes me .’

Clearly amused, Connor waited until they were walking through to the studio before asking, ‘So how did that go for you?’

‘With Marley? It was horrible and cringey, I hated every minute, but at least I didn’t have to do much talking. She was too busy gushing over Boo Boo Bear – yeah, that’s really what she called him – and telling me all about the auditions she’s got lined up, the supernanny she’s about to hire, some new-fangled fitness regime to get herself back into shape, and how worried she is about Matthew.’

‘Why’s she worried about him?’

‘She’s afraid he’s feeling left out, and that I am too, but we are welcome to visit any time we like, for as long as we like, oh and will I agree to being Boo Boo Bear’s legal guardian should anything happen to her?’

Barking out a laugh, Connor urged her to continue.

‘I said we could discuss it some more the next time we speak,’ she told him, pushing open the studio door. ‘Honest to God, there’s no shaking that girl, I don’t know how Matthew stands it.’

‘By being here in England?’ Connor suggested, giving a wave to the technicians in their glass box. ‘When’s he planning to go over there again?’

‘No idea, and no interest. Now, let’s get this playacting over with so we can focus on last-minute edits for tomorrow’s drop. And we still need to make a decision as to whether we’re going to say more about Symmonds-Browne.’

‘You mean so we can get turned over again? Or worse? Great! Let’s do it.’

*

Much later in the day Cristy was in the office alone when Iz bounced in, all smiles and yogi bows as she declared the latest promo so convincing and effective it was sure to win awards.

Not asking which awards in particular, Cristy said, ‘I’m glad everyone’s happy with it, and I swear we won’t let on that we’ve never shopped in a Rapid Retail outlet in our lives.’

Iz laughed delightedly, bowed again and then, to Cristy’s surprise, went to close the door.

‘Is everything OK?’ Cristy asked, seeing how serious Iz suddenly looked.

Iz shook her head and pulled up a chair to sit close to Cristy. ‘I don’t know how you’re going to take this,’ she said quietly, ‘but you might remember I was going to find out if certain SLD directors with high-flying connections could open some doors to George Symmonds-Browne?’

Cristy nodded cautiously. She hadn’t actually expected Iz to come through, however if she had something to share …

‘One of them has got back to me,’ Iz whispered, ‘and he has been advised to advise me to advise you that Mr Symmonds- Browne – that’s what he called him, Mr Symmonds-Browne – cannot be a person of interest for you at this time.’

Cristy blinked. ‘Cannot?’ she repeated.

Iz shrugged. ‘That’s what he said.’

Cristy looked up as Connor came in, appearing startled to find the two of them in a huddle. ‘Something I should know about?’ he asked, going to his desk.

‘You’ll want to hear this,’ Cristy told him.

He listened as Iz repeated the message, his eyes widening with surprise. ‘And that was it?’ he asked when she’d finished. ‘That he cannot be a person of interest. Remind me, how they get to decide any of this?’

‘I have no idea,’ Iz replied miserably. To Cristy she said, ‘I’m afraid I’ve upset Connor again.’

‘It’s not about upsetting me,’ he growled. ‘I just want to know how someone with as many connections to the criminal underworld as he has to the British establishment can’t be a person of interest at any time, never mind this one?’ He looked at Cristy. ‘I think we just ignore it.’

Cristy had to agree. ‘I might just run it past Frances Rush, our friendly DSI who heads up Gloucestershire’s Organized Crime Unit,’ she said. ‘She couldn’t tell us Symmonds-Browne’s whereabouts the last time I was in touch, but maybe she’ll have something to say about this. Meantime, we need to continue being vigilant about locking up when no one’s here, and make sure everything’s regularly backed up to the cloud.’

Apparently approving of that, Iz said, ‘Do you think it had something to do with this Symmonds-Browne guy?’

Mindful of how keen Iz might be to put the answer in some sort of press package, Cristy said, ‘We have no idea what it was about. Probably just a random burglary attempt – and a wake-up call to us to take security more seriously. Jacks!’ she exclaimed as he came in the door carrying a giant takeout coffee and sticky bun. ‘We’re waiting for news on Natalie Irwin and if she knows where to find Lukas. Anything doing?’

‘Absolutely,’ he replied, returning to his desk. ‘I missed lunch,’ he explained, taking a bite from the bun.

Cristy waited, watching him chew as Iz signalled the need to catch a train and left.

Swallowing, Jacks said, ‘So, I contacted Hilary Stokes and she typed out a message to Natalie Irwin while I was talking to her. She also gave me Natalie’s email address and landline number, which could be out of date because they haven’t been in touch for ten years or more. Anyway, the phone number rang out when I tried it, and as yet Hilary hasn’t had a reply to her iMessage, however, it has been “seen”.’

‘So she’s read it,’ Cristy stated, ‘and knows we want to be in touch, but isn’t responding?’

‘She’d only have got the message an hour ago,’ he pointed out, ‘so give her a chance.’

Curbing her impatience, which actually had more to do with wanting things sorted in time to meet Robert for drinks later than it did with any real urgency regarding Natalie Irwin, Cristy said, ‘Did Hilary Stokes tell you anything useful about Natalie, other than the fact that she was friends with Lukas while they were at Butlin’s? Is she still in Canada, by the way?’

‘I can’t be sure of that yet. But apparently she’s from Sheffield, worked in several holiday camps back in the day, until she met her now husband, Clive, while she was on a ski trip in Austria and ended up moving to Toronto. By Hilary’s reckoning she’ll be in her late forties by now.’

‘Have you tried the email address yourself?’ Connor asked.

‘Yes, and it hasn’t bounced back. Yet. So could still be current.’

Checking her mobile as it rang it took Cristy a moment to recognize the caller’s name. ‘It’s Lottie’s publisher, Felicity Green,’ she announced, and clicked the call to speaker. ‘Hi, Felicity,’ she said warmly. ‘It’s good to hear you. Are you back from your travels?’

‘A couple of days ago,’ came the reply, ‘and horribly jetlagged, but I thought I’d get in touch just in case you’d still like to talk to me.’

‘We would,’ Cristy assured her, making a quick shift of focus to Lottie Winters’ aborted literary career, ‘especially if you can throw any light on the reason Lottie decided to stop being published.’

‘I’m not sure I ever received a straight answer to that,’ Felicity Green responded, ‘but since you got me thinking about it I remembered an email she sent me a year or so before she died. I hadn’t heard from her in so long, it was quite a surprise and I was thrilled to see her name in my inbox. I’ve managed to track it down, so I can read it out to you if you like.’

‘Please,’ Cristy encouraged.

‘I can’t imagine,’ Felicity said, ‘how it managed to slip my mind, although it arrived during a very difficult time in my personal life and I suppose, when Lottie never followed it up … Anyway, here’s what she said: “Flissy, I’ve been mulling the idea of writing a kind of memoir, part fact, part fiction. It would be about two middle-aged sisters and a little girl they find on the beach near their home. I’ve already made a start, mainly notes and the odd chapter or two, and for the time being I’m using our names – Mia, Sadie and me. Why? I hear you ask. Because, say I, this way I won’t have to conjure any up until I’m ready to. I think you’ll like the way it progresses to include some very colourful characters, many of the sort you might not expect from me. Lottie, of course, will have the most tremendous love story … I believe you might be smiling at that. Oh, how I miss him still. I wonder if he ever thinks of me. I am planning a truly shocking denouement to my story. Hard to write, but I feel it has to be done for the sake of … well, everything. More soon, Lottie.”’

Cristy was looking at Connor in expectation and bafflement. ‘Did she ever send you anything?’ she asked, watching Connor start to scribble a note.

‘I’m afraid not, but I know I replied encouraging her to continue.’

‘What about the love story? She refers to it as though you knew who she was talking about.’

‘I did, and I didn’t,’ Felicity replied. ‘She never mentioned him by name, but there was someone who, let’s say, stood out from the others. We’re going back a while, mid-Nineties, I’d say, perhaps into the Noughties. She took to sending me postcards from exotic places telling me she was with him and having a marvellous time and felt she might die from sheer happiness.’

‘Was he involved in the charities she supported?’

‘She never said, but she met so many people from so many walks of life.’

Some very colourful characters, many of the sort you might not expect from me.

‘Do you know what happened to the man she mentions?’ Cristy asked.

‘I don’t, I’m afraid,’ Felicity responded. ‘I’m not even sure how long the relationship went on for, but I do remember wondering at times how much of it was actually real. It wasn’t always easy to tell with Lottie.’

Cristy glanced at the note Connor put in front of her and nodded. He was right, they needed to record this, which meant her six o’clock rendezvous would have to wait. Unless Felicity was willing to do it tomorrow.

Quickly reminding herself that was unprofessional, she said, ‘Felicity, would you be willing for me to interview you on Zoom, going over everything you’ve just told me? We can send you a link …’

‘That will be fine.’

Jacks raised a thumb.

‘It should be on its way now. So I’ll speak to you again in a few minutes.’

After ringing off she sent a quick text to Robert saying, Sorry, running late. Should be there by 6.30 , and said to Connor, ‘What do you think about slotting this into tomorrow’s episode?’ If he agreed she was going to be a lot later than 6.30.

‘It’s not immediately obvious to me where it would go,’ he said, ‘although with the right links …’

‘Hello, hello, look who we have here,’ Jacks interrupted, as if a person of great import had entered the building, though he was actually peering at his screen. ‘Natalie Irwin has just emailed,’ he explained, ‘and she’s saying that yes, she remembers Lukas and Janina. No idea where they are now, but apparently Lukas went back to Vilnius after he left Butlin’s …’ He looked up. ‘So Lithuanian.’

Not sure why she was surprised by that Cristy said, ‘What else does she say?’

‘That she’s been worried about Lukas ever since he was last in touch with her …’

‘Which was when?’ Connor interrupted.

‘She doesn’t say, but apparently she’s happy to talk and share what she knows, will Wednesday work for us?’

‘Set it up,’ Connor replied, ‘and send her copies of the first two pods just in case she hasn’t already heard them.’ To Cristy, he said, ‘Why do you keep checking the time? Do you need to be somewhere?’

‘It’s OK,’ she assured him. ‘I’m just …’ She broke off as Robert texted back.

Taking part in an online seminar at eight, so let’s reschedule. Same time, same place on Wednesday?

Hoping it wasn’t going to clash with the Natalie Irwin interview she texted back, See you then , and was about to put the phone away when Matthew’s name came up on the screen. Ordinarily she’d have hit reject; however, they’d asked a favour of him and it might be about that.

‘Before you ask, no word yet from my Interpol guy,’ he told her when she answered.

‘Then why are you calling?’

‘Nice to hear you too. I was hoping we might get together …’

‘It’s not a good time, Matthew. I’m about to do an interview …’

‘So will you let me know when is?’

She didn’t answer.

‘No, of course you won’t. By the way, everyone was asking about you on Saturday night.’

Unable to imagine why, when everyone knew she was no longer his wife, she said, ‘I really do have to go …’

‘You know, I thought I recognized the main speaker, and then it came to me. He was your Tinder date …’

‘I’m not on Tinder,’ she said, through her teeth.

‘But it was him, wasn’t it? Nice guy. Hayley was smitten at first sight.’

‘She told me.’ Cristy also knew, from Robert, that he thought she had a very beautiful daughter and he’d been charmed to meet her ex-husband (no irony there). ‘I’m ringing off now,’ she told Matthew, ‘but thanks for trying to help with this Symmonds-Browne character.’

‘You know he’s distantly related to the Duke of …?’

‘Yes, I do. Is that a problem?’

‘No idea yet, I guess we’ll find out. OK, off you go, but thanks for FaceTiming with Marley at the weekend. It meant the world to her.’

Having no idea how to respond to that, Cristy simply ended the call and turned to her screen where Felicity Green was ready and waiting.

*

‘Sorry. It’s late. Did I wake you?’ Sadie asked.

Keeping her eyes closed as she spoke into her mobile, Cristy took a moment to register that she was at home and said, ‘It’s fine. I was just dozing. Is everything OK?’

‘I’m not sure,’ Sadie replied. ‘I mean, yes is the short answer, but I’ve found a portable safe at the back of one of Lottie’s closets. I’ve tried opening it, but I don’t know if I’m even close to guessing the combination, and I don’t want to ask Mia in case she just spirits it away, or throws another scene.’

Swinging her feet to the floor, Cristy said, ‘Why not take it to David? He might know someone who can help.’

‘That’s what I thought. There’s probably nothing important inside, just cash or some jewellery, that sort of thing, but it’ll be interesting to know, because I haven’t found anything else that’s as securely locked.’

‘Where is it now?’

‘Jasper helped me bring it up to the lodge, so it’s right in front of me.’

Seizing the moment, and hoping she wasn’t going to be too clumsy about it, Cristy said, ‘Maybe there’s a copy of her will in there. I know it’s been read and presumably everything’s sorted …’

‘Yes, that happened not long after she died. She left everything to Mia.’

Cristy blinked. ‘Everything? What about her charities? What about you?’

With a soft sigh, Sadie said, ‘Mia will take care of the charities when she goes, I’m sure, and Lottie gave me so much when she was alive, but I have to admit I was a bit disappointed. I thought maybe she’d set something aside for me, a special ring or necklace, a memento of a time we’d shared, a letter even, admitting I wasn’t her actual niece and explaining where I really came from. I can’t help thinking that something like it might be in this safe, that’s why I don’t want to show it to Mia in case she tries to take whatever it is.’

Understanding that, Cristy said, ‘Well, I’m sure we’ll get it open one way or another.’ She was staring down at a message from Clover now that had apparently come in about an hour ago. You need to take a look at this.

She clicked the attachment and when she saw the image that filled the screen her heart contracted so hard with shock that it took a moment for a surge of adrenalin to kick through.