By the next morning they had received no more helpful news in the case and Rafferty knew he could no longer delay checking Stubbs and Thompson out. He turned to Llewellyn and opened his mouth to issue instructions, but his sergeant was far away in a world of his own, gazing out the window with an anxious frown. Rafferty could guess why. Llewellyn's mother had arrived already – and Ma had never been one to put off till tomorrow what could be done yesterday – Rafferty guessed such a tendency came from having had six kids to get up and out every morning. So, the extension of the invitation, the railroading of any excuses and arrival of guest had all occurred in little more than twenty-four hours. Rafferty had given Llewellyn a few hours off to drive to London and collect his mother from the