Jenna Ryder answered the door. Neat and appealing in her pink dressing gown. Her hair brushed, but her face was pale. Her eyes were tired. She didn't look thrilled when Fitzgerald told her we wanted to see her sister.
"I supposed you'd better come in," she said with reluctance. "Mother's still in bed. Sheena's at breakfast."
She was. Cereal. My leg felt weaker than ever. Sheena Ryder looked at us both. "Good morning, Sergeant Fitzgerald."
She was assessing me with care. I could see her eyes travelling around my face.
They flicked over my clothing and back up to my face.
The smile she gave me was brief. She decided I merited courtesy.
"Good morning," she said, "I still haven't caught your name, Mr…?"
"Don't worry who I am," I said. "We have to ask questions, Miss Ryder."
"Please, go ahead."
"We think you are mistaken which night you took those photographs?" Fitzgerald said.
"Sergeant?" She fluttered her eyelashes. "And why is that?"
"It was raining, and the visibility did not allow such an exact photograph."
Sheena shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I must be mistaken." She turned to her sister. "Can you remember the night you saw Jupiter, Jenna?"
Jenna, skilled in fluttering her eyelashes, sat there as if butter could not melt in her mouth.
"No, Sheena, I can't."
"I'm not surprised."
"How do you mean?"
I watched her face. Watched her eyes. She was staring straight at me. Astonishment on her face. She thought she was dealing with a mindless thug. Blundering my way into the dark. Trying to figure out what was happening.
But I knew what was happening.
"Nobody knew I was going to be in Cape Ore," I said. "This had been done by now. The Russians have the full consignment of Pendimethalin. They are required to destroy this year's entire wheat and grain crop from the Ukraine. Limiting the raw material. Raise the price. Force sanctions against Russia to be lifted."
She made no reply. Just arched a fine eyebrow.
"For this to work, they needed somebody on the inside," I said, "somebody high in the management chain."
"I hope you're not suggesting I am that somebody?"
"No, I'm not," I said, and waited a beat before
"Can you explain to me how someone deposited £100,000 in your bank account in the last three months?"
"What are you suggesting?" Sheena said, with defiance.
"Where did you get the money?"
She paused for a moment.
"From Auntie June."
Her voice dropped. She glanced with apprehension at the ceiling.
"Decent of Auntie June," I said, "who is she?"
"Mother's sister." Her tone was still low. "The black sheep of the family. She said she was innocent of the crimes charged. The case against her was overwhelming. She had to leave the country."
Fitzgerald glared at her.
"What are you saying?" he said. "What crimes?"
"I don't know." Sheena sounded desperate. "We've seen her. She phoned me twice at the complex. Mother has never mentioned her. We didn't even know she existed until a few months ago."
"You knew this?" Fitzgerald asked Jenna.
"Of course, I did."
"Your mother?"
"Of course not," Sheena said. "I told you she never even mentioned her existence. Whatever they accused her of, it must have been serious. She said if Mother knew where the money came from, she'd call it tainted and refuse it. Jenna and I want to send her abroad for her health, and that money will help."
"It will help you to a prison cell," I said. "Where was your mother born?"
"Bury St Edmunds." It was Jenna who said. Sheena wasn't capable of it.
"Maiden name?"
"Ruth Wilson?"
"Where's your phone?"
"Haven't you got your own?" Sheena said, her tone full of resentment.
"No," I said. "I don't own one."
Jenna showed me, and I called Thames House. Fifteen minutes elapsed before I returned to the breakfast-room. Neither of the two sisters appeared to have moved from the positions in which I left them, while Fitzgerald continued his questioning.
"My God, you must think we are a couple of idiots," I said. "It didn't occur to you. Check Somerset House."
I paused as I looked from sister to sister
"You knew it was a waste of your time." I said. "Auntie June never existed. Your Mother never had a sister. You had time for a better explanation."
She couldn't think of another. She stared at me. Her expression grim and hopeless, then at her sister, then at the ground.
"As you cannot think a story better, I want to see your mother."
"Leave my mother out of this, you bastard!"
Sheena rose to her feet at a pace. Her chair toppled over backwards.
"My mother's a sick woman and an old one. Leave her alone."
I turned to Jenna. "Please tell your mother I'm coming up in a minute."
Sheena started towards me, but Jenna got in the way.
"Don't, Sheena. Please."
Jenna gave me a stern look, said with bitterness.
"He is someone who always gets his own way."
I got my own way. The interview with Mrs Ryder took only ten minutes. It wasn't the most pleasant minutes of my life.
When I came downstairs, both Sheena and her sister were waiting in the hall. I saw eyes that were pale.
"You're making a fearful and terrible mistake. Sheena is my brother. I know her. I swear to you she is innocent."
Sometimes I didn't find any significant issue in hating myself, and this was one of those times.
"Very well, tell your sister that whatever she is hiding, something. She can tell me what. I will give her twenty-four hours too. She has big choices."