I ate the food and drank the wine. I had the shower I’d missed in the morning, then I set about tidying the kitchen Glen and I had left in such a hurry. I went upstairs to do the same in the bedroom. The bed was a mess with the fitted bottom sheet adrift and the blankets in a tangle. Our love-making after last night’s meal had been vigorous and both of us were restless sleepers, contending for space and the bedclothes. I sat down on Glen’s side. I could smell her in the sheets and on the pillows. I wouldn’t have her tonight to talk to or to hold. I missed her. Soft, Hardy. You’re getting soft. I straightened the bed roughly, collected the glasses and mugs and went down to make more mess in the kitchen.

Dan Sanderson answered his phone on the first ring, he was that kind of a man.

‘Dan?’ I said. This is Hardy.’

‘You’re not crying off? It’s 10.00 tomorrow. That leaves you all day to fight crime.’

‘No. I’ll be there. I just wanted some information about one of your students-Mrs Paula Wilberforce.’

‘Hey, I thought you were happily attached.’

‘I am. This woman’s harassing me. I can handle it, don’t worry. I just thought a little extra dope might help.’

‘Just a sec. I’ll get her on screen.’

I heard the tapping of keys and wondered whether I should computerise my operation. Maybe the computer would analyse all my cases and come up with solutions in advance. Then it wouldn’t matter that a mad woman could follow me around and stick me up on my own front porch.

‘Got her,’ Dan said. ‘Bright, very bright. HDs all the way in her BA. Doing a PhD on wards of the state and recidivism.’

‘What?’

‘You know, broken homes and criminal careers. Roger Maurice is her supervisor. I know him slightly.’