Kate Ivory picked out a photograph of a Norwegian fjord and attached it to the grey cartridge paper of her holiday journal. She paused while she thought of the right words to describe that afternoon spent in the company of Jon Kenrick.

The phone rang.

‘Hello, Kate? Avril Fordham here.’

‘Hello, Avril. What’s up?’

‘It’s to do with your mother.’

‘Roz? What’s happened?

‘I’m worried about her, Kate. I don’t want to criticise your mother’s judgement, but she does sometimes take up with well, rather odd people.’

‘Is it a man?’ asked Kate.

‘No, a married couple, and I can’t say that I took to them, but that’s her own affair – I wouldn’t be ringing you if that were all. It’s her health I’m worried about, Kate.’

‘But she was blooming last time I saw her.’

‘These things are so insidious, aren’t they?’ Avril was saying. ‘And I’m sure that an outsider notices signs that a family member wouldn’t, because the changes are so gradual.’

‘What exactly have you noticed? It’s odd she hasn’t rung me if she’s not been well. I could at least have done some shopping or a little light dusting for her.’

‘That’s where the couple I mentioned come into the picture. They’re hanging around all the time, it seems to me: running errands, cooking meals. Roz and I are in partnership, you know, and as soon as we start to talk business, there they are, pushing in and preventing any sensible discussion.’

‘Give me your phone number, Avril. I’ll pop round to Roz’s place and then I’ll get back to you.’

Kate picked up a jacket and left the house. From what Avril had said, it might be a good idea to call on Roz unannounced.