meeting we attend. When anyone is short, they can give an IOU.'
'After the fire at Blacker's cottage, and Maurice McDade's arrest, you linked up with Thomasine O'Loughlin and Bob Naylor to try and prove Mr McDade was innocent.'
'Certainly.'
'Why those two?'
'Because Thomasine shared my sense of outrage, and she's a good ally, very astute.'
'And Naylor? He'd only just met McDade for the first time.'
'Thomasine thought he would be a help. We needed a man, really, and none of the others were suitable. Tudor can't disguise his jealousy of Maurice, Anton has no tact, Basil is under Naomi's thumb and Zach is, well, a bit immature.'
If she can sum up men as pithily as that, Shilling thought, she's probably got me pigeon-holed as well.
'You'd had long enough to give Naylor the once-over.'
'Thomasine said he was kosher.'
'Is she Jewish?'
'I don't think so. It's the way she talks. I knew what she meant and I respect her judgement. She and Bob did all the questioning.'
'They didn't invite you?'
'Three people on one's doorstep would have been too many.'
'One is too many if you've got a guilty conscience.'
At the end of the interview Shilling found himself thinking it was a smart move on the parts of Thomasine and Bob, taking it on themselves to question other people in the circle as if they themselves had no case to answer.
Stella had already run through the set questions with Bob Naylor. He hadn't been present at the crucial meeting of the circle when Blacker addressed them, hadn't joined the circle at that stage, hadn't even heard of Blacker.
He said.
But hell's bells, had he made up for lost time! Borrowed the video from Miss Snow. Joined forces with Thomasine O'Loughlin and Dagmar Bumstead to try and establish McDade's innocence. Questioned Mrs McDade and just about everyone else. Gained the confidence of Miss Snow. Gone in her place to the boat house. Made a voluntary statement to DC Shilling. Got himself elected as press spokesman.
A right busybody.
'And on top of everything else you're a writer?' Stella said.
'Trying to be,' he said.
'Books, is it?'
'Christ, no. I fool around with bits of rhyming stuff, that's all.'
'Are you going to give me a sample?'
'No way. It's pathetic'
So he wanted coaxing. Stella only ever played the wheedling woman in the cause of duty. 'Go on, I'd really like to hear a sample.'
He sighed. 'Don't know if you'll get this. I was playing about with some lines while I was waiting.' He fished in his back pocket and took out what looked like a cheap diary.
'Eleven local writers
Lead the cops a dance.
Who's for an excuse-me?
No chance.'
'Not bad,' Stella said, 'but it dates you. Anyone under forty wouldn't know what an excuse-me is.'
'Tell me about it. I have a daughter of fourteen. They should come with phrase books.'
'What does your wife think of your writing?'
'She died.'
Whoops. A pause for respect. 'Sorry. Let's talk about what's been happening since you made your statement to DC Shilling. There was a meeting, right?'
'Yeah, and I was dropped in it and made press officer. I'm not even a paid-up member and they want me as their spokesman.'
'Which you do very well. What else was decided?'
'Not much. Two of the party left early.'
'Zach and Naomi.'
'If you know it all, why ask me?'
'So why did they leave?'
'I do remember one thing we agreed,' Bob said, 'and that was not to slag off fellow members of the circle.'
He could bat for England, this one. 'But you just told me you're not a member.'
'Nice try, but I like these people — all of them. I've got to know them quite well, their hopes and fears.'
'One of them is almost certainly a murderer.'
'Okay — and ten of them aren't. Until I know which one, I'm going to respect them all.'
You still see yourself as an amateur sleuth, do you?'
He took in a sharp breath and it was no more than a stage effect. 'Bit sarky, that. I was only helping out, like. This was before you and your boss took over. No disrespect, but the police work wasn't up to much.'
'They weren't getting cooperation from everyone. You didn't report the fire at the boat house.'
'Did.'
'Eventually — only after Miss Snow was dead. If you'd come forward earlier they might have saved her life.'
'How?'
'They could have warned her to be careful.'
'That Inspector Cherry? He didn't give a toss when I tried to talk to him. He couldn't find his arse with both hands, that one.'
She should have said something in Johnny's defence. Just couldn't find the words. All she managed was, 'Leave the sleuthing to us, Mr Naylor. We don't want any more people going up in flames.'
Hen was glad she'd left Naomi to last. Thanks to young Shilling's good work, she had a trump to play and she used it straight away. 'What have you got to say about the photo of Blacker and the other man?'
Naomi blinked and gave nothing away.
'You've got yourself in deep shit, crossing a police line and going into that gutted building.'
She was given one of Naomi's smouldering glares.
'You won't have been told we recovered it from Zach's house.'
The eyes narrowed. 'Who told you? Basil?'
'Your accessory, Zach Beale.'
Now it was raw disgust that registered. 'Wimp.'
'He's not very happy with you, either. He could be facing a prison term.'
'What for?'
'Concealing evidence. Conspiracy to obstruct the course of justice.'
'Oh, come on,' Naomi said. 'It's only a photo. Your people would have picked it up if it was any use to them.'
'They didn't want to disturb the scene,' Hen said with the licence her position gave her. 'But you did. I haven't yet decided what we'll throw at you, unlawful entry, theft. Why did you do it?'
After some thought, Naomi said, 'It was there.'
'Like Everest, you mean? The difference is that you crossed a police line to get to it. The place was taped and sealed.'
'It was something that belonged to him. A point of contact.'
Hen found herself frowning. This was a strange woman. 'What are we dealing with here — messages from the dead?'
