‘Did she talk about him?’
‘Only when I poked my big nose in. I’d ask if he was good-looking and she’d make out she hardly noticed. I can believe that was true, knowing Joss. She did tell me his name once.’
‘Harry?’
Her eyes widened. ‘That’s right.’ A smile. ‘And she made a point of telling me he came from a respectable firm who only employed qualified trainers.’
‘I was told the same thing.’ For a moment he let his thoughts stray to the hunt for Harry Lang on the roads outside Bath. This case might be over soon, and the present interview rendered unnecessary. But it had to be got through. ‘Can we talk about the husband Martin? You call him Marty?’
A touch of pink coloured her cheeks. ‘Everyone does.’
‘We believe he’s being held by the person who murdered Joss. We need to find him, and fast.’
Her teeth closed over her lower lip. ‘Have you heard something new?’
He shook his head. ‘The person who’s holding him won’t get in touch. We’re not dealing with anyone who wants to negotiate.’
‘How do you know?’
‘It’s the way he does things. Is Marty strong?’
‘You’re asking if he would try to escape?’
‘Not really. The way these crimes are planned doesn’t leave much opportunity. Is he mentally tough?’
She exhaled sharply, forced to think about Marty’s situation. ‘He’s no coward, I’m sure of that. He’s used to coping with stress in the job.’ Almost as an afterthought she said, ‘It isn’t as if I know him all that well. We meet at parties sometimes, but that’s not the best situation to judge anyone.’
‘What kind of legal work does he specialise in? Criminal law?’
She nodded and drew in an audible breath. ‘Are you thinking this is some crook with a grudge, looking for revenge?’
‘We cover every angle. Did he or Joss ever mention cases he was involved with?’
‘Not to me. She hardly ever talked about his work, except to complain he was doing long hours and getting in late.’
He picked up on that at once. ‘She never suspected him of being with other women?’
She swayed back at the suggestion. ‘Good Lord, no. I don’t think it crossed her mind, and I’d be surprised. Their marriage was rock solid.’ She was frowning, fingering the wisps of hair on her neck. ‘You don’t know anything to the contrary, do you?’
‘Just asking.’
‘Another angle?’
‘Possibly. When did you see them last?’
‘Joss, about a week ago. She was fine. Slightly bored, as usual, but far from suicidal. We spoke on the phone since and I had no reason to think she was in any kind of trouble.’
‘And Marty?’
‘Haven’t seen him in weeks. Months. I think the last time was on her birthday in February. A party of us went to the theatre together.’ She sighed. ‘A nice memory to hold onto.’
He sat back and folded his arms. ‘That isn’t quite true, is it, Miss Tidmarsh?’
Now her face turned almost the colour of her hair. ‘What?’
‘It’s been obvious from the moment you came in that you’re closer to Marty than you ever were to Joss. You’re desperately worried about him. With good reason. I’m worried, too, but for different reasons.’
She stared for a moment and then lowered her face into her hands and sobbed.
‘You and he are lovers, right?’
DC Gilbert turned to look at Diamond in amazement. He hadn’t detected any of the signals.
‘There’s a box of Kleenex on the filing cabinet next door,’ Diamond told Gilbert.
‘That’s Ingeborg’s.’
‘She isn’t here.’
Quite possibly Agnes Tidmarsh was trying — between sobs — to decide how much she would reveal about her relationship with Martin Steel. Diamond was willing to wait.
Finally she looked up and said, ‘I feel such a heartless bitch. My best friend, and now she’s dead.’
‘Don’t give me that heavy stuff,’ he said. ‘I’m not impressed. You’ve been stringing us along. I’m not judging your morals. I just want some truth from you.’
‘You’ve got it now.’
‘Some of it. I don’t suppose Joss knew you were sleeping with her husband. Did she?’
She gripped the cross at her breast. ‘Please God, she didn’t.’
‘When did it start?’
‘Soon after they came to live down here. They had no sex life at all after the abortion. She was on a huge guilt trip. Marty tried to be understanding. He’s the kindest of men. He started to tell me about the problem with their marriage one time when I called and she was out riding, but she came back early so I suggested we met for a drink — Marty and me, I mean.’ She sighed. ‘You know the rest.’
‘The late evenings were spent with you?’
‘And weekends sometimes.’
‘So when did you see him last?’
‘Friday afternoon at my cottage. He left me about seven.’
‘Did he say anything about the upcoming weekend? Were he and Joss planning to meet anyone?’
‘If they were he didn’t mention it. I got the impression it was just the usual routine.’
‘Was he anxious? Under pressure?’
‘Not that I noticed.’
‘Did he ever speak of anyone else threatening him or Joss?’
‘Never.’
‘How much does he confide in you? Do you talk about your lives?’
‘A lot.’ She dabbed her face with a tissue. ‘It isn’t just the sex.
We go back a long way. He understands me better than anyone.’
‘Did either of them ever speak of belonging to a secret organisation?’
‘The Law Society?’
‘I don’t think that qualifies.’
‘The Rotary?’
‘Probably not,’ he said, straight-faced, but avoiding Paul Gilbert’s eyes. He moved on without explaining why he’d explored that avenue. ‘Did Marty ever speak about suicide?’
She shook her head. ‘He’s very positive, even though his marriage was going wrong.’
‘There have been other cases of people being found hanged in Bath. Did you ever discuss them?’
‘We had better things to do with our time.’
A faint smile played on Gilbert’s lips. This young man was getting above himself.
There was an interruption. John Leaman put his head round the door and signalled to Diamond that something new had come up.
‘Is there anything else you want to tell us?’ Diamond asked Agnes Tidmarsh. The interview had run its course. ‘In that case, the constable will help you make a written statement. Thanks for coming in.’
He went out to Leaman. ‘Have we caught Lang?’
‘No, but we’re getting warmer, guv. We’ve found his car.’
37
‘W here?’
‘The Avenue at Combe Down.’
‘Really?’ The significance escaped Leaman, so Diamond added, ‘Only a stone’s throw from Midford.’
