HOWEVER, THERE WAS no need for Rafferty’s ‘special knock’. Because the professor came to the door on the second rat-a-tat. Swallowing his feeling of relief, he struggled to get the words out. The professor beat him to it.
‘You’re back, Inspector. What can I do for you this time? I’m rather busy.’
‘Yes.’ Swallowing again, past the constriction in his throat, he managed to blurt out, ‘I forgot to ask you if your...if Mrs Briggs had changed her appearance in any way?’
The professor stared at him, and Rafferty hurried to explain. ‘Mrs Briggs may have coloured her hair, altered her make-up in some way in we mere men can barely fathom. Only...only, we’d really like to find her, and it would help to know what she looks like now.’
The professor shrugged, as if he was far from sharing Rafferty’
