59

59

Sandra raised her eyes suddenly and gave me the same sort of inspection, as if she’d never really seen me before: and I guessed that for her it was much more a radical assessment. I was no longer the man she’d tricked rather easily with her charms and feminine ways, but the man who had discovered her duplicity. I was accustomed by now to seeing  this new view of me when people had tried to deceive me, and although I might often regret it, there seemed no way of going back.

“They warned me you know,” she said doubtfully. “I kept hearing how good the great Quintus Noone was, and I should tread carefully. They said you’re exceptionally good…exceptionally good…at this sort of thing. But I didn’t believe them. But now I’m standing here in your North London flat banged to rights.”

“Afraid so,” I said succinctly.

Her eyes were red with tears, but I never fell for crocodile tears. Having three sisters had nullified that emotion.

“When did you