Lewis and Hathaway found Jody Tubbs sitting on a bench on campus, enjoying the warm spring sun. She had a small smile on her face as she watched two birds chasing each other in a mating game. Lewis felt sorry for having to spoil the day for her. He had decided not to break the news of her lover's death over the phone but to do it face to face. It didn't get any easier, no matter how often he had been the bearer of such sad news already.

"Miss Tubbs?"

"Yes?"

"D.I. Lewis and D.S. Hathaway. Thank you for agreeing to meet us."

"Of course. You mentioned Vicky, she's not in any trouble, is she? Only I cannot reach her..."

Lewis took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to have to bring you such bad news. Vicky Martin died yesterday evening."

Jody Tubbs turned as white as the few clouds that were passing over the sky. "She's... dead? But... how? When?" Her voice trembled and tears welled up in her eyes.

"She died yesterday evening at the fund raising ball of the college. As to the how, we think she was murdered."

Miss Tubbs seemed to turn even paler, the shock too strong for tears to spill, it rather seemed to numb her. "Murdered? But why? She's... was, oh my God, such a wonderful person."

"We were hoping you might be able to tell us a bit more about her relations to others. Was she arguing with anyone? Has she been threatened?"

Jody thought for a moment and something that crossed her mind slowly brought the colour back to her face. "Arguing. Yes. There's this idiot of an ex, Alister. He just wouldn't accept that she dumped him for me. The macho can't deal with Vicky falling in love with a woman, apparently it goes against his ego. He's been calling her all the time, I told her she should get a new number but she refused, said he's a barking dog and they don't bite."

Lewis nodded slightly at Hathaway. This fitted well with what his Sergeant had learned from the neighbour.

"Do you think Mr. Ingelsham hated her enough to kill her?"

"I don't know, honestly. But he's the only one I can think of that she's been arguing with. Everyone gets along so well with her... got along so well. I cannot believe it, Vicky gone." She looked from Lewis to Hathaway and back. "Please, can I see her?"

Hathaway answered the question. "I will make sure you can."

She gave him a sad smile. "Thank you." He nodded in return.

Lewis hated having to put her through more questions, but he needed more information and felt Jody Tubbs might have some answers. "Could you tell us a bit more about Mr. Ingelsham? About how he reacted about Miss Martin ending the relationship?"

Jody sighed and stared into the distance for a moment. The expression on her face turned from sad to angry as she gathered her thoughts.

"Alister Ingelsham. As I said he's an idiot, a macho. I don't know what Vicky could ever have seen in him. He just wouldn't accept that it was over. At first he acted as if Vicky had only been joking. She had given him a key when they were an item and he still had it for a while after she dumped him. It happened more than once that he was suddenly standing in the living room when Vicky and I were together. We'd be watching telly or something and he was suddenly standing there, going 'Oh, you've got a friend over. Are you studying?' and he'd bend over the couch and try to kiss her as if they were still together. It only ended in January when she finally got the key back after threatening to call the police if he set foot in her flat again."

Lewis nodded encouragingly. "Go on, please."

She took a deep breath. "It didn't end then, though. He called her, learned her schedule and just happened to be on campus at the same time she was... he even sent her a Valentine's greeting. He just wouldn't pack up. Lately he changed tack, tried to make her jealous. The fool. See, I work as a waitress at a gay-club a couple of nights a week and Vicky sometimes came round to chat when it was an easy night. One evening, it must have been... about two weeks ago, Alister suddenly walks in with a girl in tow. I mean, come on, you don't go to a gay club as a het-couple. And I didn't believe it anyway. But he made a big show of it, telling Vicky this girl, Phil or something, was his new big flame. It was a total fake! Of course Vicky saw through it and he stomped off again pretty soon when he realized she wasn't taking the bait."

"Could this girl's name have been Phili," Hathaway enquired.

"Phili! Yes, that's right. You know her?"

"We've met her."

"I think she's got a huge crush on Alister, she looked so pleased and happy when the idiot delivered his little speech to Vicky that night. I think she would love to be his girlfriend, heaven knows why... All these questions about Alister, you think he killed Vicky?"

"It's too early to tell. And he has an alibi, he was studying with Miss McIntire all afternoon until late evening."

Jody looked confused so Hathaway explained. "Philippa McIntire, Phili."

She snorted. "Hell he was! I saw her at the library yesterday, that must have been... half six? It was after my last class... yes, half six sounds right."

"You're sure about this?"

"Oh yes. I even said hi, but she pretended not to know me. Or maybe I never registered on her mind that night because she only had eyes for Alister..."

Lewis got up from the bench. "You've been most helpful, Miss Tubbs."

The sadness returned to her face. "You will find whoever did this to Vicky, won't you?"

It was Hathaway who answered. "We will. And I will be in touch once I have arranged for you to see Vicky."

The two young people looked at each other for a long moment, some silent message passing between them that Lewis didn't get.