Shape of Snakes

'I can try. It won't be as detailed as the first. What do you expect to find?'

'Nothing valuable,' I said. 'Little things that someone might have kept.'

'Like the peacock feathers?'

I nodded.

'They could never be used as evidence.'

'I know but...' I hesitated, afraid of sounding ridiculous. 'It's a stupid idea really but supposing you put on your list the peacock feathers, the silhouette pictures of her grandparents and ... well, other things of little or no value ... a wooden statue, say...' I ran out of ideas. 'I just thought that if 1 found someone with a similar combination in their house, I'd at least feel I was on the right track.'

She threw me a startled glance. 'Does that mean you're going to look?'

I shrugged self-consciously.

'But where would you start, for goodness' sake?'

'Graham Road? There must be someone left who was there in 1978. If I knock on a few doors I might come up with something.' I spoke only to give her an answer, not because I had any intention of taking such a scattergun approach. I watched her expression change to one of skepticism.

'But why? It'll just be a lot of hard work for nothing. Larry was right when he said there'd be no prosecution.'

'I wouldn't be looking for a prosecution for theft, Sheila; I'd be looking for a prosecution for murder. As the chief superintendent said in his letter to you, it would be different if there were question marks over Annie's death.' I smiled. 'Well, there are ... and I intend to prove it.'

She searched my face intently for a moment. 'What really happened between you and Annie that night?' she asked abruptly. 'Drury showed me your statement, but you said she never spoke to you.'

'She didn't.'

'Then ... why?'

'I've got nothing better to do at the moment.'

It wasn't much of an explanation but it seemed to satisfy her. 'I doubt many of her neighbors will still be there,' she warned. 'Most of them had moved on even before we left.'

'What about the vicar?' I asked. 'He was always visiting people in Graham Road.'

She pulled on the brim of her hat to shade her eyes from the sun. 'I don't think he's there anymore.'

I lifted one shoulder in a relaxed shrug. 'His successor at St. Mark's ought to be able to tell me where he is. Do you know his name?'

'The new vicar? No.'

'What about the one who knew Annie?'

She didn't answer immediately, and I turned to look at her. Her expression was impossible to read because her eyes were still in shade, but the set of her jaw was very grim. 'Peter Stanhope,' she said.

Letter from Libby Williams-formerly

of 21 Graham Road-dated 1982

Southampton

Octobers, 1982

Dear M,

Thought the enclosed might interest you. 1 went up to see some old friends in Richmond and happened upon the Rich. & Twick by chance. Skullduggery abounds, it seems, and there won't be much love lost between cloth and stethoscope following the Rev's libelous remarks! I remember him from Annie's funeral-a fat little bloke with sweaty palms-but don't think I ever came across the doctor. Jock and I had a man with a huge mustache.

All goes well here. I'm into my final year and after numerous attempts-a girl has to do what a girl has to do if she isn't to make the same mistake again!-I have finally met a winner. Sweet guy by the name of Jim Garth. Watch this space, as they say!

Love,

Libby

Local Doctor Denies Neglect

Dr. Sheila Arnold, 41, a partner at the Cromwell Street Surgery, Richmond, denies neglect after Frederick Potts, 87, was discovered close to death earlier this week in his flat in Charming Towers. Mr. Potts owes his life to his neighbor, Mrs. Gwen Roberts, 62. 'I heard Fred banging on the party wall,' she said, 'so I phoned the police.'

Police described Mr. Potts's condition as 'shocking.' He had been unable to get out of bed for several days and was in severe pain from untreated ulcers on his legs and back. He was also dehydrated and undernourished. Dr. Arnold was questioned by police following alleged claims from neighbors that she had refused to arrange nursing care for Mr. Potts because 'he had been abusive to carers in the past.' Dr. Arnold denies the claims.

Parallels are being drawn between this case and the case of Ann Butts, 42, an untreated alcoholic with a