‘No, no — you’re my sister.’
‘I’d hate to be a burden to anybody. I’ve always been so independent.’
Frances kissed her. ‘You’re no trouble at all, Agnes.’
When the meal was over, Frances cleared away the plates and did the washing-up in the sink. Such had been the improvement in her sister’s behaviour that she dared to hope for a complete recovery. She was drying her hands on a towel when Mrs Rossiter came into the kitchen wearing her hat, coat and gloves.
‘What on earth are you doing?’ she cried.
‘I’m going out, Frances.’
‘But the doctor said that you were to stay indoors.’
‘He can’t stop me going for a walk,’ asserted Mrs Rossiter. ‘I need some fresh air and exercise. I can’t stay here all day.’
Frances took off her apron. ‘I’ll come with you.’
‘I’d like that.’
‘Where shall we go?’
‘I want to see Joel.’
‘But he’s dead. His body will be at the undertaker’s by now.’
‘That’s where I want to go,’ said Mrs Rossiter, simply. ‘It’s my right. I need to pay my respects. I have to see him for one last time. Don’t you understand?’
Colbeck arrived at the station as the Plymouth train was departing. Having consulted the timetable, he knew that there would be a gap of twenty minutes before Lawrence Woodford would be called upon to despatch another train to its destination. He took the stationmaster into the refreshment room, chose a table in the corner and ordered two cups of tea.
‘How are you finding your new role, Mr Woodford?’ he asked.
‘Well, it’s not entirely new,’ replied the other. ‘I deputised for Joel when his wife and daughter died, so I learnt the ropes then.’
‘You’ve shown remarkable flair.’
‘It’s kind of you to say so, Inspector.’
‘Do you live nearby?’
‘We have a house not far from the cathedral.’
‘And what does Mrs Woodford think of what is, in essence, your promotion?’
‘My wife is very proud of me. Her regret, of course, is that I’ve only become stationmaster temporarily because Joel was battered to death by a thug.. We’d much rather that he’d been spared such a grisly fate.’
‘How much did you see of him on a daily basis?’
‘Not a great deal,’ said Woodford. ‘I was locked away in my office most of the day while Joel was on patrol out here. But we exchanged friendly banter when we had the chance.’
Colbeck didn’t believe him for a second. In his opinion, Woodford was not a man who’d indulge in friendly banter with anyone. He was too abrupt and officious and would be much more likely to enforce rules than to make a humorous remark to a colleague. Nor was Colbeck fooled by the man’s claim to be close to his predecessor. Woodford was too well defended to let anyone get too close to him and there was a prickly side to him that would keep others away. Dorcas arrived with the tea on a tray.
‘Is there any word of Mrs Rossiter?’ she asked, putting the cups on the table.
‘She was seen by a doctor yesterday,’ replied Colbeck. ‘He advised rest.’
‘When will she be coming back to work?’
‘I can’t answer that, Miss Hope.’
‘Don’t bother us now,’ said Woodford with a hostile glance. ‘The Inspector and I are trying to have a conversation.’
Dorcas backed away. ‘I’m sorry, Mr Woodford. Do excuse me.’
‘That young lady works hard,’ observed Colbeck as she moved away.
‘She has to be kept in her place.’
‘People work best when given encouragement. That’s what I always find.’ He studied Woodford. ‘If you live near the cathedral, you must have been well placed to attend the bonfire celebrations.’
‘They had no interest for us and — as we have no children — there was no reason to take part in them. Things get out of hand too easily, Inspector. Drink is taken and tempers flare up. I abhor violence of all kinds,’ said Woodford, ‘even if it’s in fun. My wife and I steer well clear of the cathedral precinct on Guy Fawkes Day.’
‘Mr Heygate intended to go, I believe.’
‘Joel had a childish streak in him at times.’
‘People of all ages enjoy a bonfire,’ said Colbeck. ‘Did your predecessor ever discuss his birdwatching with you?’
‘No, Inspector, it’s not something that appeals to me.’
‘So you’ve no idea where he went?’
Woodford scratched his chin. ‘He did once mention the Exminster marshes to me,’ he recalled. ‘Joel said that he’d seen a variety of species there.’
‘How far away would that be?’
‘Oh, it’s over three miles south of the city.’
‘So it couldn’t have been the place he went on the night he was killed He’d hardly walk that distance in the dark. Exminster is an unlikely destination.’
‘It most certainly was. Joel went …’ He turned as if about to point in one direction but thought better of it. ‘He must have gone somewhere else’
‘Was it a cold night on November 4th?’
‘It’s always cold at this time of year.’
Colbeck put milk into his tea and stirred it. ‘Do you have any hobbies?’ he asked, casually.
‘My work doesn’t allow me much leisure time.’
‘I have the same problem, Mr Woodford.’
‘My wife and I do go for a walk on Sunday after church. It’s become a sort of tradition. The weather has to be really bad to deter us.’
‘Regular exercise is good for us. It’s probably the reason you look so healthy.’
‘Yes,’ said Woodford, adding milk and sugar to his tea. ‘It’s one thing where I had the advantage over Joel. He put on weight after the tragedy involving his wife and daughter. One can’t blame him for that. Food was his consolation.’
‘Did he ever mention a diary to you?’
‘Not that I can remember.’
‘He seems to have kept one.’
‘It’s the first I’ve heard of it,’ said Woodford, checking to making sure that Dorcas didn’t hear him. ‘What was in the diary, Inspector?’
‘We don’t know until we find it. But it might be of significant help.’
‘Maybe the killer destroyed it for that reason.’
‘I doubt if he knew that it even existed.’
‘Isn’t it squirrelled away in the house somewhere?’
‘We couldn’t find it. Just in case it is there,’ said Colbeck, ‘I asked for a policeman to guard the house. If the killer finds out about the diary, he may well come looking for it. We need to find it first.’
‘I wish you well in your search.’ It was Woodford’s turn to sound casual. ‘I take it that Bagsy Browne is the only suspect.’
‘Yes, he is,’ said Colbeck, easily. ‘Superintendent Steel is convinced of his guilt. Mr Browne is a man with a fearsome reputation, I gather.’
‘I was here the day he caused a rumpus. He fought like an animal until Joel knocked him out. When he came to, he vowed to get even with Joel one day.’ He breathed in sharply. ‘Unfortunately, he kept his promise.’
The caterwauling made it impossible for Superintendent Steel to concentrate on his work. He was just about to investigate the ear-splitting noise when the custody sergeant came into his office.
‘It’s that woman, sir,’ he said. ‘She won’t shut up till she’s spoken to you.’
