‘They wouldn’t have allowed him to teach again,’ Diamond said.
‘With his art, he could get other work, no problem. When he surfaced again at one stage he was illustrating books – for kids, no doubt. I mean, you don’t get pictures in books for grown-ups, do you?’
‘Covers?’
‘Covers is right,’ Glazebrook said. ‘Covers for pervy behaviour.’
‘Did you keep up with any of the others?’ Diamond asked, to move on. He couldn’t take any more of this.
They talked for another ten minutes, exchanging memories, but Diamond’s heart wasn’t in it. He was reeling from the shock. After he’d settled the bill, they shook hands and went their separate ways.
This time, he paused and stood with the crowd watching the unicyclists performing in front of the Pump Room. In fact he saw nothing. All of his perceptions were directed inwards. His brain was surfing incomplete memories of that time as a boy. He wanted the truth, however sickening it was, but it was elusive. Everything connected with school and that play took on a new and sinister significance. Yet he was finding it difficult to pinpoint any one incident. The brain has ways of blocking traumatic experiences, particularly from childhood. He understood that. The one certainty was that he couldn’t enter the theatre without fear. The whole truth wasn’t revealed yet. He could still only guess at what happened, but the guessing was more informed and more unpleasant.
A shout from the crowd brought him out of this purgatory. Time was going on and he needed to get his head straight, somehow put the conversation with Glazebrook to the back of his mind. He was required back inside the theatre, expected to function as a detective. He watched the buskers juggling with fire, keeping their balance. Then he moved on.
Francis Melmot was outside the stage door, chatting to some front-of-house people who must have thought they’d escaped for a smoke. He hailed Diamond with his usual bonhomie. ‘What a pleasure this is, inspector.’
Not for Diamond.
And ‘inspector’ was a demotion, but the matter wasn’t worth pointing out. Diamond touched his grey trilby and said he hadn’t expected an official welcome from the chairman of the board.
‘I just looked in to share some wonderful news with our loyal and much valued staff,’ Melmot said, at the same time despatching the much valued staff with a flap of the hand.
‘What it it?’ Diamond said with an effort to be civil. ‘A five-star review?’
‘Actually, no, even though we’ve had some excellent ones.’ Melmot drew his shoulders back and seemed to grow even taller. ‘I was advised an hour ago that Clarion has withdrawn her threat to sue.’
‘Who by?’
‘Her lawyers.’
‘That is good,’ Diamond said, and meant it, his mind speeding through possibilities. He could see this whole investigation coming to a swift end. ‘What happened? An out-of-court settlement?’
‘No, we’re not paying a penny. It’s unconditional.’
‘What a turnaround. When I saw the lady yesterday her mind was made up.’
‘Yesterday she was still in shock,’ Melmot said. ‘She’s had time to reflect since then. There’s even better news. She will be making a substantial private donation to the theatre.’
‘Did you talk her round, then?’
‘I haven’t spoken to her.’
Mystified, Diamond refused to believe him. ‘You’re on close terms. I thought a word in her ear may have worked this magic.’
Melmot blinked. ‘I’m not sure what you mean by close terms.’
‘She stayed with you in Melmot Hall.’
‘As a house guest. She didn’t sleep with me, inspector, if that’s what you’re suggesting.’
‘Dream on, eh?’
‘What?’ Melmot reddened.
‘You said you were a fan. Didn’t sex cross your mind when you invited her to stay?’
‘That’s downright offensive.’
‘I can’t think why. Personally, I’d take it as a compliment. Anyway, what happened in the bedroom isn’t my concern, except I just wondered if there was a falling out, something that made her leave Melmot Hall in a hurry.’
‘Absolutely not.’ His cheek muscles twitched. ‘Just to put the record straight, inspector, there are twenty-two bedrooms and mine is in another wing. When the rehearsals started in earnest, Clarion wanted to be nearer to the theatre, so she moved into the Royal Crescent. Pure convenience.’
‘Thanks for putting me right,’ Diamond said and trailed a warning. ‘I was going to ask the lady herself and now there’s no need, but I’ll visit her just the same. I’d still like to know why she’s changed her mind about suing.’
The triumphant manner had gone. Melmot tried to sound more conciliatory. ‘I daresay her lawyers talked some sense into her. I understand she’s left the hospital.’
‘I did hear. It doesn’t mean her face will ever be the same again. She’ll have to go back for treatment.’
‘Believe me, inspector, she has the heartfelt sympathy of everyone in the Theatre Royal. Now that the threat of legal action is removed, we sent her some more flowers and our wishes for a full recovery and she’ll be listed in the programmes as a patron.’ He seesawed from largesse to a lament. ‘Of course the saddest thing of all is that the dresser took personal responsibility and did what she did. I’ve no doubt she killed herself because she feared for our
