Page 55 of Murder in the Family

ALAN CANNING

The police compiled a list, but they suspected it wasn’t complete. It was a bit of an ‘open doors’ thing, by all accounts.

BILL SERAFINI

Do we have that list? Guy?

GUY HOWARD

Not as such. But Tarek’s fixed for one of the team to talk to Phyllis Franks. The party was for her husband’s birthday, at a Spanish restaurant called Penedès, about half a mile from Dorney Place. It’s long gone, before you ask.

BILL SERAFINI

So you knew this woman?

GUY HOWARD

Phyllis? Not really. Her husband was one of my dad’s City contacts. Some big-shot banker or other. Jack and Phyllis used to come to my parents’ dinner parties, but I don’t think they socialized outside that.

And just to clarify, I’ve never spoken to Phyllis about this – obviously not back then, given I was only 10, but not since we started working on thisshow either. So I have no idea what she might tell us.

(looks round the table)

So who wants to take this one?

MITCHELL CLARKE

I vote Laila. Woman to woman.

LAILA FURNESS

Is there a whiff of everyday sexism in there by any chance, Mitch?

ALAN CANNING

Laila has no interrogation experience I’m aware of—

MITCHELL CLARKE

That’s my whole point – we don’twantthis woman feeling like she’s being cross-examined.

LAILA FURNESS

(to Alan)

I interview people all the time. I’m apsychologist. It’swhat Ido.

ALAN CANNING

This isn’t quite the same—

BILL SERAFINI

—Hugo, JJ – you have a view?

JJ NORTON

Maybe Laila goes with Hugo, to balance it out?

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