'Because your wife's been murdered, sir,' said Galbraith evenly, 'and we're trying to find out who killed her. I'm sorry if you're finding that difficult to cope with but I really do have no option.'
'Then talk to me here. What do you want to know?'
The DI glanced toward the road, where an interested group of spectators was gathering. 'We'll have the press here before you know it, William,' he said dispassionately. 'Do you want to discuss your alleged alibi in front of an audience of journalists?'
Sumner's jittery gaze jumped toward the crowd at his gate. 'This isn't fair. Everything's so bloody public. Why can't you make them go away?'
'They'll go of their own accord if you let me in. They'll stay if you insist on keeping me on the doorstep. That's human nature, I'm afraid.'
With a haunted expression, Sumner seized the policeman's arm and pulled him inside. Pressure was beginning to take its toll, thought Galbraith, and gone was the self-assured, if tired, man of Monday. It meant nothing in itself. Shock took time to absorb, and nerves invariably began to fray when successful closure to a case remained elusive. He followed Sumner into the sitting room and, as before, took a seat on the sofa.
'What do you mean,
The DI opened his briefcase and extracted some papers. 'We've taken statements from your colleagues, hotel employees at the Regal, and librarians at the university library. None of them supports your claim that you were in Liverpool on Saturday night.' He held them out. 'I think you should read them.'
Witness statement: Harold Marshall, MD Campbell Ltd., Lee Industrial Estate, Lichfield, Staffordshire
I remember seeing William at lunch on Saturday, 9 August 1997. We discussed a paper in last week's Lancet about stomach ulcers. William says he's working on a new drug that will beat the current frontrunner into a cocked hat. I was skeptical, and we had quite a debate. No, I didn't see him at the dinner that evening, but then I wouldn't expect to. He and I have been attending these conferences for years, and it'll be a red-letter day when William decides to let his hair down and join the rest of us for some lighthearted entertainment. He was certainly at lunch on Sunday, because we had another argument on the ulcer issue.
Witness statement: Paul Dimmock, Research Chemist, Wryton's, Holborae Way, Colchester, Essex
I saw William at about 2:00 p.m. Saturday afternoon. He said he was going to the university library to do some research, which is par for the course for him. He never goes to conference dinners. He's only interested in the intellectual side, hates the social side. My room was two doors down from his. I remember seeing the do not disturb notice on the door, when I went up to bed about half past midnight, but I've no idea when he got back. I had a drink with him before lunch on Sunday. No, he didn't seem at all tired. Matter of fact he was in better form than usual. Positively cheerful, in fact.
Witness statement: Anne Smith, Research Chemist, Bristol University, Bristol
I didn't see him at all on Saturday, but I had a drink with him and Paul Dimmock on Sunday morning. He gave a paper on Friday afternoon, and I was interested in some of the things he said. He's researching the drug treatment of stomach ulcers, and it sounds like good stuff.
Witness statement: Jane Riley, Librarian, University Library, Liverpool
(Shown a photograph of William Sumner) Quite a few of the conference members came into the library on Saturday, but I don't remember seeing this man. That doesn't mean he wasn't here. As long as they have a conference badge and know what they're looking for, they have free access.
Witness statement: Carrie Wilson, Chambermaid, Regal Hotel, Liverpool
I remember the gentleman in number two-two-three-flve. He was very tidy, unpacked his suitcase, and put everything away in the drawers. Some of them don't bother. I finished about midday on Saturday, but I made up his room when he went down to breakfast and I didn't see him afterward. Sunday morning, there was a do not disturb notice on his door so I left him to sleep. As I recall, he went down at about 11:30, and I made up his room then. Yes, his bed had certainly been slept in. There were science books scattered all over it, and I think he must have been doing some studying. I remember thinking he wasn't so tidy after all.
Witness statement: Les Allen, Librarian, University Library, Liverpool
(Shown a photograph of William Sumner) He came in on Friday morning. I spent about half an hour with him. He wanted papers on peptic and duodenal ulcers, and I showed him where to find them. He said he'd be back on Saturday, but I didn't notice him. It's a big place. I only ever notice the people who need help.
Witness statement: David Forward, Concierge, Regal Hotel, Liverpool
We have limited parking facilities, and Mr. Sumner reserved a parking space at the same time as he reserved his room. He was allocated number thirty-four, which is at the back of the hotel. As far as I'm aware, the car remained there from Thursday 7 to Monday 11. We ask guests to leave a set of keys with us, and Mr. Sumner didn't retrieve his until Monday. Yes, he could certainly have driven his car out if he had a spare set. There are no barriers across the exit.
'You see our problem?' asked Galbraith when Sumner had read them. 'There's a period of twenty-one hours, from two o'clock on Saturday till eleven thirty on Sunday, when no one remembers seeing you. Yet the first three statements were made by people whom you told us would give you a cast-iron alibi.'
Sumner looked at him in bewilderment. 'But I was there,' he insisted. 'One of them must have seen me.' He stabbed a finger at Paul Dimmock's statement. 'I met up with Paul in the foyer. I told him I was going to the library, and he walked part of the way with me. That had to be well after two o'clock. Dammit, at two o'clock I was still arguing the toss with that bloody fool Harold Marshall.'
Galbraith shook his head. 'Even if it was four o'clock, it makes no difference. You proved on Monday that you can do the drive to Dorset in five hours.'
'This is absurd!' snapped Sumner nervously. 'You'll just have to talk to more people. Someone must have seen me. There was a man at the same table as me in the library. Ginger-haired fellow with glasses. He can prove I was there.'
'What was his name?'
'I don't know.'
