The Yeos looked at each other , two competent , sociable people , united even at this moment in the need to find a way of dealing with whatever neighbours had chosen this moment to call .sx " Upstairs , " Claudia said , under her breath and they both crept upstairs , where Claudia picked up the intercom and snapped into it :sx " Who is it ?sx I'm in the bath .sx Oh , Mr McLeish .sx .. can you hang on while I get dressed ?sx Or better still , come back in ten minutes ?sx " She felt her heart thump and her voice go shrill .sx " Is Mr Yeo not home yet ?sx " John McLeish was sounding tense , she thought .sx " No , I don't think so , or he'd have answered the door .sx " She listened to the sound of water running in the bathrom and fought for calm ; every minute she could keep the police at bay gave Peter a better chance .sx " I'll just wait , then , for a few minutes till you're ready .sx " .sx Claudia put the phone down , tense but triumphant , and looked up to see her husband emerging from the bathroom with his jacket and tie .sx He held out his arms and she went to him .sx " You're a good girl , " he said , shakily .sx " Give us a kiss , then .sx " They embraced and she understood that he was calm again , his face and hair still damp from his wash .sx " Claudia .sx " He stopped kissing her , moved his hands to her shoulders and made her look at him .sx " This is going to be bad .sx The business is in a mess , and I mean a real mess , so there isn't much income .sx But this house is worth a lot , and we've got some investments .sx " .sx " Peter !sx " .sx " Darling , there is nothing to be done .sx I'll have to tell McLeish what happened .sx He either knows already , or he's close to it .sx I thought he'd got it yesterday , he just couldn't prove it .sx Come on , that's my good girl .sx " He held her as she burst into tears again .sx " You did well .sx I had the time to realize that I couldn't go on , that we'd never manage to keep going , having to keep a secret like this .sx I thought I could when it was just me , but actually I don't think I could have , even then .sx " He held her away from him .sx " Come on , darling , I'd rather let him in than have them force their way in .sx I looked out the window just now and there are two blokes round the back , and the girl I told you about , Sergeant Crane .sx " He held Claudia while she quietened , listening to the silence outside .sx " Sorry , sorry .sx Let me wash my face , and I'll come with you .sx " .sx So they went together to open the door and admit John McLeish who for a split second looked startled , then understood immediately .sx " I have Sergeant Davidson and Sergeant Crane with me , " he said gently .sx " I'll come with you , " Peter Yeo said .sx " We'll come with you , " his wife corrected him .sx At well past midnight , when Claudia Yeo had been sent with a police driver to stay with a sister for the night and Peter Yeo had been bedded down in a police cell , Catherine Crane walked slowly down the yellow-lit corridor , past darkened offices and stopped at the door of her own office .sx She frowned at her desk ; the in-tray had filled with papers since lunch-time , but why was the top one in red ?sx She walked round her desk and saw that it was not one but three messages , all marked urgent , all asking her to ring Detective Inspector David Smith at whatever hour of the night she wished .sx She sat down heavily and spread the pieces of paper in front of her , her heart thumping .sx Then she rang the number that had been given to her and the phone was answered on the second ring .sx " It's Catherine .sx " .sx Epilogue .sx John McLeish swung his car into the green space beside the church , next to a BBC van .sx He climbed out and stretched , realizing how exhausted he still was ; despite forty-eight hours out of the office , mostly spent asleep , the hour's drive had tired him .sx He stood in the raw , bright sun , shivering slightly in the wind that swept across the fens straight from Moscow , considering the sizeable parish church before him :sx fourteenth-century , with a lot of later additions , he decided .sx The lines of the building were obscured by yards and yards of cable , apparently suspended from the flying buttresses .sx McLeish picked his way past a throbbing generator and five men eating sausage rolls from a mobile canteen , and hesitated at the church door , taking in the scene .sx He slid quietly into a pew halfway up the nave , a good ten rows behind a group of people all engaged in furious argument .sx " Hold it right there , please Jamie .sx Little to the left , so you pick up the mike in the pulpit .sx Somebody get that bloody cable out of shot - excuse me , Vicar .sx " .sx There was a pause while Jamie Brett-Smith moved to stand unselfconsciously still , four feet from the pulpit , and two cameras swivelled towards him .sx " All right .sx Last song , just 'Bless this House' then it's a wrap .sx You look a little unfinished , Jamie , somehow .sx We don't want to keep the frock for this , do we , but what about a bow tie ?sx " .sx Jamie was seen to look enquiringly at someone in the row of spectators , and McLeish saw a familiar dark head come up sharply .sx " Absolutely not .sx Too naff !sx " .sx This definite judgement was delivered with all Francesca's confidence , and as usual took no account of her audience at least fifty per cent of whom were sporting bow ties .sx " What else do you suggest , darling ?sx " The question was plainly rhetorical , but Francesca , McLeish could see , was giving it careful thought .sx " His choir smock ?sx If that does not appeal , how about an ordinary tie and the school jacket , worn unbuttoned ?sx That at least will be unremarkable .sx " The clear voice was totally assured , and the producer was heard to say sotto voce that he had , in his pathetic way , been aiming for something remarkable , but no matter .sx Agreement appeared to have been reached and Jamie pulled on a tie and shrugged himself into a dark jacket .sx He glanced towards the organist , waited out the introductory bars and launched , high and clear , into 'Bless this House' .sx He sang like a lark , and the audience sat in stillness that it could be felt .sx McLeish was unsurprised to see that one of the cameramen , attention never wavering from his job , had tears rolling slowly down his face .sx Francesca , he could just see , was hunched forward , her head held stiffly , as Jamie went confidently for the top note .sx And the voice cracked , producing only a thin , stretched sound .sx He stopped immediately , the spell broken , and looked anxiously towards the front row .sx " Take it again from D , Jamie .sx " Francesca sounded tense .sx The boy missed the note again .sx Relax , girl , McLeish urged silently - that boy vibrates to you , always has .sx There was a small silence while Jamie stood rigid and miserable , touching his throat , looking anxiously to Francesca .sx " Tea break ?sx " she said briskly , and he saw her profile as she glanced along the line to the producer , who nodded reluctant approval .sx " Ten minutes .sx " .sx Francesca went straight to Jamie , and McLeish watched as the two of them disappeared through a door in the north transept .sx " The voice is breaking , that's the problem , " the producer observed in a high drawl to the rest of the row .sx " Lucky if we get through today .sx Better not book him for any more , Sally .sx When it goes , it goes .sx " .sx McLeish hoped silently that no one was going to say anything like this in front of Jamie and shrank as close as she could to a pillar , nodding politely to a young woman who was prowling the aisle and was hesitating as to whether to challenge him .sx He waited , unmoving and patiently , until there was a small stir in the front row , and Jamie and Francesca appeared again , both genuflecting and making the sign of the Cross as they passed the altar .sx One forgot that Francesca had been brought up High Church , McLeish thought disapprovingly , his Presbyterian hackles rising .sx This time Jamie got right through the song , triumphantly hitting the top note , filling it in as he got there , and ending only a little husky .sx He stopped , let the camera track him to the link reporter , and , looking about six years old , beamed at Francesca in the front row .sx She was slightly off centre , so McLeish could just see her in profile as she grinned back at Jamie in a moment of perfect complicity .sx Then she rose and signalled , and the boy followed her through the side door , her arm going round his shoulders as they went out .sx McLeish noticed again how he had shot up , the top of his blond cockatoo haircut now only just lower than the top of Francesca's dark head .sx McLeish waited a decorous two minutes while , true to his upbringing , he said the Lord's Prayer without bending the knee , then he moved swiftly through the purposeful gangs of BBC technicians silently tugging at cables and dismantling equipment like people taking down Christmas decorations .sx Emerging into the bright light of day , he saw Francesca and Jamie leaning on an ornate tomb , deep in conversation , heads bent against the cold wind .sx Jamie was crying , and Francesca's arms went round him , easily and tenderly .sx McLeish stopped in his tracks and shrank into the porch only a few feet from them .sx " I can't go on with singing , can I ?sx " the boy said painfully into Francesca's shoulder .sx " No , pettie , it's over .sx It happens , and if you go on you'll strain the vocal cords .sx Gin isn't all that good for them .sx " .sx The boy giggled , and observed it was as well that she had known that trick , he would never have got through without it .sx " Well , I had to use it for Perry and Tris .sx I should know .sx " .sx Francesca found a handkerchief and gave it to him .sx " Jamie , if your voice didn't go , all sorts of other things wouldn't happen and you'd never be a grown-up man .sx " .sx " What sorts of things ?sx " Jamie enquired innocently , blowing his nose .sx " Get on with you , you bad thing you .sx " .sx " Anyway , what's so great about growing up ?sx " The boy , remembering , stroked her shoulder apologetically .sx " There are bad patches , " she acknowledged , grimly .sx " But it's still better than being a kid and being pushed around without anyone telling you what's happening .sx " She contemplated some of the bleaker passages of her own childhood , looking over Jamie's shoulder to seek some relief from her thoughts , and started as she recognized John McLeish in the shadow of the church porch .sx Jamie turned , following her gaze , and beamed with pleasure , stopping awkwardly as he recalled that McLeish was no longer a Wilson familiar .sx McLeish strode heavily towards them , noticing how Francesca backed against the tomb as if preparing to defend it against all comers .sx Jamie looked uneasily from one to the other and ranged himself beside Francesca as McLeish stopped .sx " Frannie ?sx " the boy said anxiously , ignoring him .sx " It's all right , Jamie .sx You go back in and make sure you've got all your stuff .sx I'll fetch you from the church .sx " Francesca spoke as steadily as she could and patted his arm as she dispatched him , giving him a little reassuring wave as he turned anxiously to look back at her .sx Then she looked reluctantly to John McLeish , at the familiar solid jaw , slightly crooked nose , and determined straight mouth .sx He has come to tell me it is truly over , she thought steadily :sx he has come to say he is marrying that beautiful girl , and I cannot bear it .sx I have lost my chance of becoming the central concern of a good man , and I did that myself .sx She felt the stone cold at her back , remembering other unbearable things that in the end she had endured and survived , and found the strength to move away from the supporting marble .sx " How are you , John ?sx " she said , pushing her hands hard into her pockets to keep herself from shivering .sx