he'd started writing. He was feeling pleasantly tired, and he knew he would
slip into sleep so easily now. Yet he wanted to go (as Flecker had said)
'always that little further'; and perhaps more immediately to the point he
wanted to pour himself a further Scotch which he did before resuming.
There is one more thing to consider, and it is of vital importance, as well
as being (almost! ) the only thing about which I was less than honest with
you. That is, the extraordinary relationship between a drink-doped,
drug-doped juvenile lout and an insignificant-looking little schoolma'am:
between Roy Holmes and Christine Coverley.
Something must have happened, probably at school, which had forged a wholly
improbable but strangely strong bond between them - including a sexual
relationship (she confessed as much). That's the
reason she stayed on in Burford after the end of the summer term. Why is
this important? Because we have been making one fundamental assumption in
our enquiries which thus far has been completely unverified by any single
independent witness. But truth will out! And first, and forthwith, we shall
call in on Ms Coverley for further questioning. How wise it was to hold our
horses before facing Frank Harrison with a whole (Here the narrative breaks
off. ) Morse, who had been deeply asleep at his study desk, his head
pillowed on folded arms, jerked awake just before 7. 30 a. m. ' feeling
wonderfully refreshed. Life was a funny old business.
chapter sixty-seven To run away from trouble is a form of cowardice; and,
whilst it is true that the suicide braves death, he does it not for some
noble object but to escape some ill (Aristotle, Nicimwiean Ethics) the
following morning Lewis was pleased with himself. Before Morse arrived, he'd
turned to the Police Gazette's
'Puzzle Corner', and easily solved the challenge there: What initially would
an intelligent cyclist's thought be on studying the following list of operas
by Verdi?
Tosca Aida Nabucco Don Carlos Emani Macbeth 'Initially' - that was the clue;
and once you twigged it, the answer stared you in the face vertically.
Morse made an appearance at 9. 10 a. m. ' looking (in Lewis's view) a
little fitter than of late.
'Want to test your brain, sir?'
'Certainly not!'
Lewis pushed the puzzle across the desk, and Morse considered it, though for
no more than a few seconds: 'Do you know the answer?'
'Easy!
'Initially' , sir that's what you've got to think about. Just look at the
first letters. Cyclist? Get it? '
'I thought the question was what would an intelligent cyclist's thought be.'
'I don't quite follow.'
'Not difficult surely, Lewis? You've just got the answer wrong, that's all.
Any intelligent cyclist, any bright bus-driver anyone! would think exactly
the same thing immediately.'
'They would?'
'The question's phoney. Based on a false premise, isn't it? Based on the
assumption that the facts you've been given are true.'
'You mean they're not?'
Tosca? Written by Verdif Oh dear!
'You were quick to spot that.'
Morse grinned.
'Not really. They often ask me to submit a little brain-teaser to the
Gazette.'
'You mean ?'
Morse nodded.
'And talking of false premises, that's been a big part of our trouble. We've
both been trying to check up on such a lot of things, haven't we? But
there's one thing we've been prepared to accept without one ha'poth of
evidence. So we'll get on to that without delay. Couple of cars we'll need.
I'll just give Dixon a ring ' Lewis got to his feet.
'I can deal with all that, sir.'
'Si' down, Lewis! I want to talk to you.'
Through the glass- panelled door Dixon finally saw the silhouette moving
towards him: a woman in a wheelchair who brusquely informed him that she knew
nothing of the whereabouts of her son. He had not been home the previous
evening. He had a key. He was sometimes out all night, yes. No, she didn't
