“So neither of them will admit to telling anyone Karen Drew’s real identity?”
“Of course not. Lips sealed tighter than a Scotsman’s sphincter, if you’ll excuse my language.”
“Anything interesting in the background checks?”
“Nothing yet. The usual university stuff. I do believe Constance Wells was a member of the Marxist Society when she was a student, mind you. I’ll bet she wouldn’t want that to get around the firm.”
Annie smiled. “You wouldn’t, would you?”
Ginger gave a mischievous grin. “I might. You never know.” She finished her beer. “I’m glad that had no calories in it.”
“Anything else? Pudding, maybe?”
Ginger patted her stomach. “No, that’s me done, guv. There was one thing struck me as interesting in all my digging around. Hardly relevant, mind you, but interesting.”
“Oh?” said Annie. “What’s that?”
“Well, Julia Ford was a late starter. She didn’t go to uni till she was in her early twenties.”
“So?”
“Most people go straight from school, that’s all. Law, medicine, what have you. Want to get the education over with and start earning the big money and pay off their student loans as soon as they can.”
“Okay,” said Annie. “That makes sense. I think they had grants back then, though, not loans. Still, it’s an interesting point. If there’s a chance that Maggie Forrest is really Kirsten Farrow, there’s also a chance that Julia Ford is, too, isn’t there?”
Ginger looked surprised. “That’s not where I was—”
“Hold on a minute, though,” Annie went on. “There is, isn’t there?
She’s about the right age, she’s slight enough in build, and if she hid her hair under a hat, downplayed the fancy clothes and the makeup . . . It
“Julia Ford? Bloody hell! But she
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“She also knew her identity and where she was. Okay, so we’ve got a bit of a problem with motive. There seems to be a conf lict there. But perhaps there was a reason for that. Something we don’t know about.”
“I suppose you could have a point,” said Ginger. “Want me to do a bit more digging into her background?”
Annie nodded. “Yes. See if you can find out where she was between 1985, which was when Kirsten would have started uni, and 1991 or 1992, which is about the last sighting of her. But be careful.”
“What about alibis?”
“It’ll be tricky without her knowing, but if you could find out where she was at the times Lucy and Templeton were murdered, it would be a big help.”
“I’ll see what I can do. But what I was going to tell you . . .”
“Yes?”
“Julia Ford did another degree before her law one. Not English Lit.
Psychology. At Liverpool.”
“It still doesn’t let her out of the picture. And the law degree?”
“Bristol.”
“Kirsten Farrow was from Bath. It’s very close.”
“Our Ms. Ford shared a f lat while she was there. First and second year.”
“Students often do.”
“It’s just that I happened to get connected with a very chatty and helpful young woman from student housing, had all the rec ords going back years. Anyway, Julia Ford shared the f lat with Elizabeth Wallace, who was studying medicine at the time. Now, correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t Elizabeth Wallace your pathologist back in Western Area?”
“She is, indeed,” said Annie. “Dr. Elizabeth Wallace.”
“Just a point of interest, that’s all,” Ginger said. “They were mates, her and Julia Ford. And . . .”
“And what?”
“I did a bit more checking, and they both live in Harrogate now.”
“Big place.”
“Both members of the local golf club, too.”
“Fellow professionals. Makes sense. But you’re right, Ginger, it
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interesting. Are you thinking Julia Ford might have told Dr. Wallace . . . ?”
