‘In which case, I might need to go over. Could we stall him until next week? If he could just keep it locked, meantime… keep people out.’

‘Next week also, you’ve agreed to talk to that rather persistent Women’s Institute in the Golden Valley… unfair to postpone again. Don’t look like that – you agreed.’

‘OK.’

Problem here was that WIs always wanted lurid anecdotes, and this was a small county population-wise: one of the audience would always be able to fit names into whichever sensitive issue you were discussing. The policy was to avoid WIs, but occasionally one squeezed through the net. And, sure, there was a pile of parish stuff accumulating on the diary, including a christening tomorrow, and two weddings looming. Big months for weddings, June and July. So…

‘What you’re telling me, Sophie, is that I really don’t need Wychehill.’

Sophie said nothing.

‘What if I walk away now, and it happens again?’

‘Oh, for heaven’s sake, Merrily, what if it happens again after you’ve been involved?’

Which it sometimes did, hence the need for aftercare.

‘There are still two people dead, and while linking that to something paranormal is deep water, I’d feel safer going along. Even if it means opening the whole thing up at a public meeting. I mean, I can understand Spicer’s problem. He’s got a worried community which he says isn’treally a community at all. Houses are widely separated, people don’t know one another. He wants to make sure that everybody at least has a chance to find out what the score is.’

‘Merrily, deliverance is about discretion – how many times have you said that? You don’t like addressing WIs about past cases, but you’re perfectly happy to-’