Disordered Minds

'What about credit cards?'

Andrew shrugged. 'He wouldn't say where they were, but he's not claiming they were in the wallet.'

George Gardener was as surprised as Roy to be answering police questions about Dr. Hughes six hours after she thought she'd seen the back of him. She knew nothing about the missing wallet and passport, but she'd left the pub shortly after Jonathan. Like Roy, she had no recollection of a dark-haired woman. 'There was hardly anyone there,' she told the sergeant. 'I only remember seeing Jim Longhurst. I suppose people may have come in while Dr. Hughes and I were upstairs, but he left by the back door, and that's not visible from the bar.'

'Mr. Trent said you had a row with Dr. Hughes. May I ask what it was about?'

'We didn't row,' she said. 'Roy's probably talking about me voicing my opinions in the kitchen. I believe Dr. Hughes heard me, which is why he refused to wait for a taxi.'

'Did he come by taxi?'

She hesitated. 'I don't know ... no, I don't think so. His raincoat was very wet when he got into my car, too wet for the few minutes before I caught up with him.'

'Was this before or after you voiced your opinions?'

'Before. I was late for our meeting and there was a misunderstanding between him and Roy. I went after him in my car.'

'What sort of misunderstanding?'

She sighed. 'Roy made a remark that Dr. Hughes interpreted as racist. We were both expecting a white man- it's not a foreign name, you see, which is how the misunderstanding occurred.' She paused. 'Has he lodged a complaint against Roy?'

'Not that I'm aware of.'

'Then what's this about?'

'That's what I'm trying to find out, Ms. Gardener. It would help if you gave me a summary- brief, if possible-of this meeting. What was the reason for it? What happened to make you voice opinions about Dr. Hughes?'

'Oh dear! It all seems very petty now.'

'Please.'

Sergeant Lovatt was expecting a rambling account but, in the event, it was surprisingly concise. George explained their common interest in Howard Stamp and referred to the differences between herself and Jonathan as a 'personality clash.' Their dislike had been mutual, and she'd recognized very early that she'd be walking on eggshells if she tried to work with him. Their attitudes to life were diametrically opposed-possibly because she was a generation older and Dr. Hughes aspired to more sophisticated standards than she cared about or was capable of achieving-so she had found it impossible to take the meeting further.

'I'm sorry if he's offended,' she finished, 'but I did explain that it wasn't a racist issue. Sometimes chemistry works and sometimes it doesn't. Sadly, in this case it didn't ... and I wasn't prepared to hand my notes to someone whose motives I distrusted.'

'Mm.'

'Does that help, Sergeant?'

Not really... 'Did he say he was feeling ill while he was with you, Ms. Gardener?'

'No.'

'Did he look ill?'

Another hesitation. 'If you'll forgive what appears to be another racist remark ... his skin was too dark to tell. I know when white people are ill-even strangers-but I'm not well enough acquainted with black faces to recognize symptoms. He mopped his brow fairly regularly and didn't eat much-but there was a fire in the room and I assumed he didn't like Roy's food.' Her concern sounded in her voice. 'Now I feel awful. Is he ill? Is that why you've called?'

'He appears to have left his wallet and passport at the Crown and Feathers, Ms. Gardener. It upset him. Without a return ticket, he had no means of getting back to London in time for the opera.'

'I see,' she said, although the lack of conviction in her voice suggested the opposite. 'Why didn't he phone Roy?'

The sergeant stared across his desk at Andrew. 'Perhaps he was embarrassed. There seem to have been some very unfortunate remarks made at this meeting. Thank you for your help.'

He replaced the receiver. 'I need verifiable contact details before he leaves, Mr. Spicer. However, I see no reason to detain him any longer tonight. I believe your assessment of your friend is right-that he has money difficulties and that the loss of his wallet pushed him off balance. It can be retrieved from the Crown and Feathers where he left it. I'll give you directions there, although I suggest you leave Dr. Hughes in the car and collect it from Mr. Trent yourself. If your friend gets himself into anymore trouble tonight, he will not go back to London. Understood?'

Andrew nodded. 'Is this the end of it?'

Lovatt's expression was unreadable. 'I've no idea, Mr. Spicer. I shall submit a report but I can't say whether any further action will be taken.' He stood up. 'If your reading of your friend is accurate, then you should encourage him to seek professional help. I repeat, unusual behavior is taken seriously these days ... whatever the reasons for it.'

Andrew checked his watch as he shut the passenger door on Jonathan. It was after ten o'clock and he was desperately hungry. He toyed with the idea of finding something to eat before driving to Highdown, but he didn't think he could do it and reach the Crown and Feathers before closing time. It made him irritable, and he slammed his own door with unnecessary force as he climbed in behind the wheel.

'I'm sorry,' said Jonathan quietly. 'I'd have chucked those letters in a bin if I'd known they were going to call you.'