‘That’s true,’ I said. ‘Certainly an experienced one wouldn’t. Has Van Kep got a criminal record?’

‘Apparently not,’ Cy said.

‘Oh.’ That was bad-an inexperienced assassin could make all sorts of dumb mistakes, especially if he was on cosy terms with a woman like Mrs F.

‘Van Kep is both the strength and weakness of the Crown’s case,’ Cy said. ‘If he can be sufficiently undermined, he turns into a liability. Juries don’t like convicting on the word of self-confessed criminals, but they’ll do it if the information holds up.’

‘But Van Kep won’t be a self-confessed criminal,’ Claudia Fleischman said. ‘His trial or non-trial will take place after mine.’ Her voice was rather unusual, like the rest of her- deeper than you’d expect, with a suspicion of a lisp.

Cy nodded. ‘That’s a little spin they’ve put on things. It’ll be up to me to try to get the deal with Van Kep out into the open. The other side’ll try to stop me.’

‘There must be more to their case than just Van Kep.’

‘Yes,’ Cy said. ‘There’s…’

‘I can fill Mr Hardy in on the rest of it, Cyrus,’ Claudia Fleischman said. ‘I’ve had the training, remember? Perhaps you could drive me home, Mr Hardy?’

‘Claudia was a solicitor before she married,’ Cy said.

I tried not to stand up too quickly and not to let the fact that my car was a kilometre away bother me. We were all on our feet more or less together and Cy and Claudia were shaking hands. She bent smoothly, picked up a black leather purse with a strap and slung it over her shoulder. Her dress was plain, high-necked, pleated in front. She wore no jewellery. In her medium heels she was at least four inches taller than Cy who describes himself as ‘short average’-call her five foot ten in her stockings. I shook hands with Cy as well.