“Miss Franklin? How very interesting to find you here and not a corpse wrapped in a carpet in the river. Any particular reason why Mrs Parker would confess to a murder that never happened?”

“She’s buying me time. She’d be livid if she knew I was meeting with you. But I need to know there’s someone on her side after I’m gone. I’ve got a flight booked this afternoon. I need to leave before the evidence of the test results…”

“Oh, I see. It’s a hell of a risk she’s taking for you.”

“It’s not as risky as me staying.”

 

 

“Dorothy. Prison has not been kind to you, you look so pale.”

“Jonathan. Have you come to gloat?”

“Now, now dear. You could never fool me. The tilt of your chin suggests determination, but the quaver in your voice says so much. You and I both know you’re no killer. Tell me where she is, and I’ll have you out in no time and back home, where you belong.”

“Even if it were true, you think I’d tell you anything? Just walk away, Jonathan. Your mistress is gone, and your wife is fodder for gossip columnists. You’re a laughing stock.”

“Back again, hey Carol? Something is different though.”

“Yeah, back again. I darkened my hair, what do you think?”

“I think were you standing next to Mrs Parker over there, a casual glance might not make anyone the wiser as to who is who. Wouldn’t you say so, Mrs Parker?”

“I suppose, er, Detective..”

“Dorothy, this is Detective Chandler. He’s one of the good ones. Not like them other jerks, like your…”

“Like my husband. It’s okay, Carol. I’m well aware. Encountering a cruel man is just another day.”

“Speaking of encounters, Mrs Parker, I’ve just had an interesting one…”

 

 

“I’m sorry to say it Mr Parker, but there’s no trace of Eliza anywhere. My boys have been scouring the neighbourhoods looking for her. If she was alive and in the city, we’d know it.”

“Are you suggesting that my wife is a murderess, Tommy? That she killed Eliza, wrapped her body in a blue shag carpet and dumped it somewhere neither police nor thieves can find it?”

“I know it don’t make sense boss, but we’ve looked everywhere.”

“Obviously you haven’t, Tommy. Mow down every shady customer you know, and sift through the grass cuttings until you find her.”