‘By the way, the house is no longer guarded by a policeman.’
‘That was my doing,’ explained Colbeck. ‘In case the killer knew of that diary’s existence and came looking for it, I wanted the house protected. Since there’s been no sign of anyone on the prowl, we decided to bring guard duty to an end. A policeman is a valuable asset. There’s no point in keeping one at the railway station when he can be far more use in the city.’
Dorcas blushed. ‘While we’re talking about the house,’ she said, guiltily, ‘there’s something I must confess.’
‘Go on,’ urged her mother. ‘Tell the truth. Nobody will blame you.’
‘The thing is that I still have a spare key to the house. Mr Heygate gave it to me so that I could feed Peter when he was away. There were two other keys — his and the one belonging to his cleaner, Mrs Penhallurick.’ She opened a drawer in the sideboard and took a key out. ‘This is the third one,’ she continued, handing it over to Colbeck. ‘I didn’t mean to keep it so long.’
‘Thank you,’ he said, ‘but there’s no call for worry. It’s a tribute to you that Mr Heygate entrusted the key to you — as well as his canary, of course. His own key was not on the body when it was found under the bonfire, so the police had to gain access by using the one belonging to his cleaner. I’ll pass this on to Superintendent Steel. Let me ask you once again,’ he added. ‘Are you quite certain you told Mr Woodford about the diary?’
‘Yes, Inspector,’ replied Dorcas. ‘He was very interested in the news.’
Lawrence Woodford waited until there was a lull in activity then he strolled nonchalantly along the platform to the stationmaster’s house. The key had been put into the safe and it had been easy for him to get access to it. Making sure that nobody was watching, he let himself into the house and looked around with the air of the commander of a besieging army that finally brings the walls of a city down. This was his new domain. He was in at last. Woodford shook off his feeling of triumph and got to work. Convinced that the diary was there somewhere, he began a frantic search.
Being locked up always brought out an aggressive streak in Adeline Goss. When a policeman brought her food, she was combative.
‘You can’t keep me locked up,’ she asserted.
‘We can do as we wish.’
‘You’ve got no reason to hold me.’
‘Yes, we have, Adeline,’ he said. ‘You were seen with Bagsy.’
‘In the course of a week,’ she argued, ‘I could be seen by a number of men. It doesn’t mean that I’m hiding them. When they’ve had their money’s worth, most of them are only too glad to run straight home to their wives.’
‘Bagsy Browne is more than a friend of yours.’
‘So — is friendship against the law now?’
‘You’ve been harbouring a killer.’
‘I don’t harbour anyone. I simply give them an hour’s pleasure.’
‘And you take money for it,’ he pointed out. ‘That’s illegal.’
‘It’s also common sense. I put a price on my womanhood.’
‘Eat your food and shut your mouth.’
‘I can’t eat this pigswill!’ she yelled.
‘Then save it for Bagsy.’
He locked the door of her cell and walked away. Adeline sat down on the bare wooden board that served as a bed. It was attached to the wall by two chains and could be lifted up to give her marginally more room in the cell. Using a wooden spoon, she tasted a first morsel of the stew she’d been handed. It made her retch. Spitting it out, she threw the bowl at the door. Needing reassurance, she took out the coin tossed into the cell by Bagsy. It was a message. He’d not forgotten her or the service she’d rendered him. Somehow — sooner or later — he’d come for her.
She lay on her back on the bed and let out a full-blooded laugh.
Superintendent Steel had seen enough of Tallis to realise that he could never work under him. Colbeck and Leeming carried their authority lightly but Tallis thrust it at people. Even in a casual conversation, he had to exert control. Steel was reminded of the man’s status with every syllable he spoke. It was dusk and Tallis had called at the superintendent’s office. After discussing the case in exhaustive detail with his detectives, he wanted to see the report of the post-mortem on Finbar Mulleady and be kept abreast of the very latest news. It was an effort for Steel to remain polite.
‘I can add nothing to what Inspector Colbeck will have told you, sir,’ he said.
Tallis finished reading the report. ‘This must have come as a relief to you.’
‘As a matter of fact, it came as something of a setback.’
‘I fail to see why.’
‘I’d made the elementary mistake of solving a crime without having all the details at my fingertips. Browne is on the run. Mulleady sees him with Adeline Goss and reports to us. We arrest her but not Browne. Mulleady is killed by Browne in an act of revenge. It was too cut and dried,’ he said. ‘I should have known better.’
‘In your place, I’d be glad.’
‘I don’t see any reason for gladness.’
‘Did you really want a
‘No, sir, it’s the one crime that’s thankfully rare.’
‘Think what would have happened,’ said Tallis, handing over the report. ‘If you’d had two unsolved murders on your hands, the press would have been baying at your heels and the Watch Committee would be calling you in to explain yourself.’
‘I’ve had plenty of trouble from both quarters, believe me.’
‘People will expect instant solutions. It’s unrealistic.’
On his feet, Tallis seemed to fill the room. It was like having both Colbeck and Leeming there together. While he couldn’t wait for his visitor to go, Steel was unable to think of a way to get rid of him.
‘What’s your opinion of Michael Heygate?’ asked Tallis.
‘He’s involved in this whole business somehow — and I don’t just mean as beneficiary. I still can’t understand why he and his wife spent the night of November 4th in Exeter. Incidentally, they stayed at the Crown Inn,’ said Steel. ‘Further to your suggestion, my men checked all the hotels.’
‘Is the Crown Inn an expensive hostelry?’
‘It’s reasonably expensive, sir.’
‘How could they afford it when they are manifestly short of money?’ asked Tallis. ‘And why did they tell me they stayed with friends? I don’t like being lied to.’
‘Then you shouldn’t have joined the police force, sir. We must hear more lies than anyone else in creation.’ Tallis actually grinned. ‘However, I’m holding you up. I’m sure that you have much more important things to do.’
‘Nothing is more important than solving this case,’ said Tallis, settling into a chair. ‘Let’s review the evidence so far. Colbeck insists that something is missing and he’s almost invariably right. Let’s see if — between us — we can’t tease out some new evidence about this fellow Browne. Where do you suppose he could be?’
Wearing his disguise as an old man, Bagsy Browne bided his time. He stayed close enough to the building to keep it under surveillance but far enough away not to arouse suspicion. Light was slowly seeping out of a sullen sky. No policemen were on patrol nearby and few people were walking past. Since Adeline would not be able to outrun any pursuit, he’d taken the precaution of stealing a horse and cart. They waited in an alleyway at the rear of the police station. When he judged the time ripe, Browne hobbled off with the aid of his stout walking stick. Once inside the building, he was confronted by the duty sergeant, a middle-aged man with side whiskers.
‘Can I help you, sir?’ asked the policeman.
‘I’ve come to report a crime.’
‘Oh?’
‘Two lads have just robbed a woman in the street.’
‘Was she hurt?’
‘Yes,’ said Browne. ‘She’s lying on the pavement. I tried to stop them but I’m too old to fight any more. Come with me and I’ll show you where the woman is.’
