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  They say timing is of the essence in most things, and hers could not have been worse. Freeman had beaten her to it – and it wasn’t easy to break things gently to Katherine. She was inclined to break things herself and not gently, if she didn’t get her own way. He began to explain but didn’t get very far.

  ‘Oh,’ she said airily, interrupting, ‘it isn’t all about you. Are you becoming vain? We need to be building a broader base for the agency but we’re turning away good local business, you know, the old-fashioned gumshoe stuff our uncle used to do. People who want to do the whizzy, hi-tech things are two a penny. We need someone who could help us out with a bit of private investigation work now and then. We’ll pay top rates. I wondered if you know anyone who would fit the bill. Somebody retired, maybe?’

  Waters’ life didn’t flash before his eyes then but a case did – the search for Tina Fellowes, Mrs Fellowes in desperation calling in Diver and Diver on their first ever case, Waters himself wrestling with Katherine on the pavement, Smith running across the road, separating them and arresting her. Later, Smith telling her that if they lasted three months in this business, he’d eat his hat. He didn’t own a hat, he said, but he’d go and buy one just so he could eat it if Diver and Diver made a penny as private detectives.

  ‘Well? What do you think? Would he be interested?’

  ‘Katherine, I honestly don’t think-’

  ‘I know. I don’t want you to think, not really. I was lying when I said I wanted your opinion. I just want you to ask him. Tell him about this incredible opportunity. We’re expanding. There could be a partnership in it for the right person, who knows? Obviously, we wouldn’t change the name if that happened but…’

  In the garden beyond Drift’s End, Smith was still talking to Oliver, or rather Oliver was talking and Smith was giving the boy his full attention. It’s a rare gift, being able to listen like that.

  Waters made his way down the slope. Jo found him, smiled and asked if he’d like a cup of tea. Yes, he said, and sat down at the table where the record producer was holding forth on the subject of how to grow a decent lawn on these dry, sandy soils. Beyond, Waters saw that Oliver was with his aunt now, and Smith was alone for a moment, hands in his pockets, watching everyone else.

  Perhaps the best thing would be to mention it as he was leaving, just sort of in passing, as if it was a mere trifle and of no importance. He rehearsed the words.

  ‘DC, you’ll never guess who I bumped into last night! Remember Katherine Diver?’

  Or perhaps not.

  © Peter Grainger 2019 All rights reserved

  If you have enjoyed this story, please consider leaving a review at Amazon, where you first found it. As I rarely market or promote my writing in any way, it stands or falls entirely by the readers’ opinions of it.

  Details of my other novels can be found at http://www.petergrainger.com/

  If you would like to know more, you could email to [email protected] Alternatively, you might like to try this:

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  As ever, thank you for reading,

  Peter Grainger

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Chapter Thirty

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Chapter Forty

  Chapter Forty-One

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Chapter Forty-Three