College (including the clas- obscurity in the language of
sicists) to understand the the Statutes themselves; or
Latin of the original Stat- the incompetence of his
utes that has prolonged Sir classical colleagues, none of
Clixby's term. The present whom appears to have been
Master has refused to spec- nominated as a possible
ulate whether such an ext- successor.
The second, a cutting from the
- A smudgy photocopy of a typed medical report, marked 'Strictly Private and Confidential', on the notepaper of a private health clinic in the Banbury Road:
Ref: Mr J. C. Storrs
Diagnosis: Inoperable > liver cancer con-
firmed. For second opn. see letter Dr O. V. Maxim (Churchill)
Prognosis: Seven/eight months, or less.
Possibly(??) a year. No longer.
Patient Notes: Honesty best in this case. Strong personality.
Next Appt: See book, but a s a p.
RHT
Clipped to this was a cutting from the obituary columns of one of the national dailies -
- Finally, three photographs, paper-clipped togetfien (i) A newspaper photograph of a strip-club, showing in turn (though indistinguishably) individual photographs of the establishment's principal performers, posted on each side of the narrow entrance; showing also (widi complete clarity) the inviting legend: SEXIEST RAUNCHIEST SHOW IN SOHO.
(ii) A full-lengdi, black-and-white photograph of a tallish botde-blonde in a dark figure-hugging gown, the diigh- slit on the left revealing a length of shapely leg. About die woman diere seemed litde dial was less dian genuinely attractive - except die smile perhaps, (iii) A colour photograph of die same woman seated completely naked, apart from a pair of extraordinarily diin stiletto heels, on a bar-stool somewhere - her overfirm breasts suggesting that die smile in die former photograph was not die only thing about her that might be semi-artificial. The legs, now happily revealed in all dieir lengdiy glory, were those of a young dancer - die legs of a Cyd Charisse or a Betty Grable, much better dian diose in die
Morse dosed die file, and knew what he had read: an agenda for blackmail - and possibly for murder.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Sunday, 25 February
He was advised by a friend, with whom he afterwards lost touch, to stay at the Wilberforce Temperance Hotel
(Geoffrey Madan,
I hate those who intemperately denounce beer - and call it Temperance
(G. K. Chesterton)
SOCRATES, ON HIS last day on earth, avowed that death, if it be but one long and dreamless sleep, was a blessing most devoutly to be wished. Morse, on the morning of Sunday, 25 February - without going quite so far as Socrates - could certainly look back on his own long and dreamless sleep with a rare gratitude, since the commonest features of his nights were regular visits to the loo, frequent draughts of water, occasional doses of Nurofen and Paracetamol, an intake of indigestion tablets, and finally (after rising once more from his crumpled bed-linen) a tumbler of Alka-Seltzer.
letter-box as he hurriedly prepared himself a subcontinental breakfast. 10.30 a.m.
It was 11.15 a-m- when he arrived at HQ, where Lewis had already been at work for three hours, and where he was soon regaling the chief about his visit to the newspaper offices.
A complete picture of Owens - built up from testimonials, references, records, impressions, gossip - showed a competent, hard-working, well-respected employee. That was the good news. And the bad? Well, it seemed the man was aloof, humourless, unsympathetic. In view of the latter shortcomings (Lewis had suggested) it was perhaps puzzling to understand why Owens had been sent off on a personnel management course. Yet (as the editor had suggested) some degree of aloofness, humourlessness, lack of sympathy, was perhaps precisely what was required in such a role.
Lewis pointed to the cellophane folder in which his carefully paginated photocopies were assembled.
'And one more thing. He's obviously a bit of a hit with some of the girls there - especially the younger ones.'
'In spite of his pony-tail?'
'Because of it, more likely.'
