‘I never knew you could play darts.'

‘I can't. I think I'm supposed to be the comic turn.’

‘I won't keep you. There's something else I wanted to ask you. About the Vernons.'

‘Yes?'

‘These parties you described at the Mount. You said your father knew about them?'

‘Oh yes' he'd been there himself. Vernon thought it was a huge joke' inviting him and Mum along. Dad was totally shocked. He really freaked out over it when he got home. He said it was the most embarrassing night of his life' the biggest insult he could imagine' all that sort of stuff. Yes' I thought you might ask about that. It was the cause of what happened afterwards, really.'

‘What do you mean?'

‘Well' I'm sure that was the reason Graham Vernon invited me later. It was aimed at Dad' of course. To annoy him even more. I think that was the worst thing of all. He was taunting Dad through me.'

'But your father let you go?'

‘He didn't dare say anything. Vernon invited me in front of him' don't forget. Poor Dad. He was always such a coward. It may have been the biggest insult he could imagine' but still he couldn't make a stand over it.'

‘Did you tell your father what happened when you went to the Mount?'

‘Oh yes. I told them both. I was angry, you see. So it all came out.'

‘What did he do?’

`Do? He protested to Graham Vernon.'

‘Protested? Is that all?’

A mild protest' no doubt. He's never been allowed to forget that. Not by my mother' or by my grandparents. Certainly not by Granddad' who despises him for it. He thinks Dad's a complete wimp. So the poor man has been taunted with it ever since. I feel very sorry for him.’

Are you saying that he simply didn't want to jeopardize his job by falling out with Vernon — even over something like that?'

‘Of course. You obviously don't realize' Ben' but it's terrible what the fear of losing a job can do to a man of that age. Dad thinks if Vernon sacks him' he'll never work again. And that's all he lives for' his job. None of us would want him to become another suicide statistic. It happens to so many men now. When they lose their jobs, they lose their self-respect' and there's nothing left.’

And your grandfather? What did he say?' asked Cooper. 'He doesn't seem to me to be the sort of man who would be content with a mild protest.'

‘No' not Granddad. He was furious. He said that he would have killed Graham Vernon, if he'd been there.’

Her voice faded then' and he could picture the sudden concern in her eyes as she remembered who she was talking to and what he was. For a few minutes' she had forgotten he was a policeman and had thought of him only as Ben Cooper' as a friend. A warm flood of gratitude ran through him.

‘I know' I know'' he said. 'It's just an expression. Just something that people say. It doesn't mean they really will kill anybody.'

‘Oh no'' said Helen faintly. 'I think he would have done it.’

Cooper listened to Helen's breathing at the other end of the line. The sound reminded him of the afternoon at Moorhay, when he had stood so near her in the narrow hallway of Dial Cottage. He remembered being able to feel the heat from her body, and being aware of the way her breasts lifted and moved beneath her halter top as she had turned to close the front door.

Apparently Cousin Simeon had been seeing Laura Vernon'' she said. 'I didn't know that.'

‘It meant he was bound to come into the enquiry.'

‘Of course. We don't see a lot of his parents' you know.' Helen paused' and her tone softened and became more hesitant. 'It was kind of you to visit Grandma yesterday' Ben. I didn't really think you would do it. But I remember now that you were always very thoughtful. You were never quite like the other boys I knew.’

Cooper felt himself blushing. 'To be honest, I was there looking for your grandfather.'

‘Oh. You were on duty then. She didn't say that.'

‘Yes.'

‘Does that mean you've been questioning Grandma?’

‘Not . . . exactly.’

Helen sounded desperately disappointed in him. He cast around for something to say that would make things better. He needed to know exactly where he stood with Helen. What Matt had said had left him confused. Could there possibly be a bit of light at the end of the dark tunnel, a light that Helen could provide? He needed that gleam of hope' and he needed it now. But in his present state of mind' the subtleties of the situation were beyond his grasp. He had only two options — ring off now, or take the bull by the horns.

Before he could make the decision, the door of the changing room banged open and the tall brown-belt student came in from the hall' sweating and grinning.

‘Hey' Ben' I thought that friend of yours was just a novice. You never said she was so good.'

‘What?'

‘Sensei Hughes is very impressed.'

‘Ben — are you still there?'

‘Yeah — sorry' Helen' I'm on a mobile. Just a second.’

Cooper eased the door open and peered through the big windows into the training hall. There was some kind of distorting effect of the glass that magnified the scene in the hall' exaggerating the size of the figures moving around there. He could see Diane Fry in her gi, going through her kata sequences' the formal exercises used to limber the body up for action. She performed a downward block' the cat stance' straddle stance and rising block. Every movement was poised and perfectly balanced' the result of well-trained muscles flowing with precision and power' like an animal's. Around her waist' she was wearing the black belt of the top-grade karatekas.

‘A fourth dan too'' said the student over his shoulder. 'She's terrific' Ben. Where did you find her?'

‘Helen —'

‘Was there something else' Ben? Only I'm on my way out' remember?'

‘I was wondering'' he said’

‘if you'd like to meet up sometime' perhaps go for a drink or a meal. What do you think?’

Helen seemed to consider the suggestion' but answered with another question. .

‘You think Granddad was involved in Laura Vernon's death' don't you?’

Cooper felt a flush of embarrassment creeping up his neck' and was glad that she couldn't see him. 'We have to follow up all the possibilities.’

The katas were beautiful when performed correctly. A work of art in themselves. And Fry was performing them perfectly. Knife hand' hook punch' elbow strike' finger jab. Front kick' side kick' back kick' crescent kick. Getting faster and more fluid as the body loosened up. Every turn of the wrist was tightly controlled, every jab of a sharp heel executed with flawless technique and timing. Not an animal at all. A machine.

‘But most of the other policemen would leave him alone' Ben'' said Helen. 'They don't think he's worthbothering with. The pressure to keep questioning him comes from you.'

‘What makes you say that?'

‘The woman detective — she told me it was you.’

Roundhouse' spearhand' hammer strike and stamping kick. A twisting hand to the groin' a chop to the throat. Diane Fry executed practice strikes at all the vulnerable points of the body — face' neck' solar plexus' spinal column and kidneys. Every blow was fast and hard' and perfectly focused. And every one of them lethal.

‘She had no right to say that.' No right? That was a ludicrous understatement. It was against all codes of behaviour. And she couldn't have ruined his chances with Helen more effectively if she had been trying. But then a hard knot of anger twisted in his stomach as it occurred to him that perhaps she had been trying.

‘It's true' though' isn't it' Ben? I can tell it is from your voice.'

‘Helen' I just know that there's something wrong. Something that involves your grandfather.'

‘Is there? How can you know?’

But Cooper shook his head' unable to answer. He was watching Fry' and he was flushing an even deeper red' though now the embarrassment was giving way to an intense rage.