That was an embarrassment he was glad to be able to avoid.
'That's true. Time on their hands, these bobbies,' he said. 'Have you time for another coffee? Or a drink, mebbe?'
As hoped, this provoked her to shake her head and rise.
'No, really. I must be getting back.'
'Right,' he said. 'Still friends?'
'Of course.'
He kissed her lightly on the cheek.
She smiled and said, it's silly, but I feel so happy I’ve seen you and made things clear. It's like coming out of the dentist's.'
'I've been called a lot of things,' he said, 'but rarely a dentist.'
'I'm sorry. I didn't mean . . . it's just that I let things get inside my mind sometimes and rattle round in there and worry myself into the most absurd ideas! You know, just recently I met this woman, purely by chance, and it turned out she was a policeman's wife. I like her a lot, she's bright and straightforward, and completely independent, of her husband I mean. And yet the other night I woke up at four A.M. suddenly completely convinced she'd been set on me to spy for the police force! I hate those four o'clock horrors, don't you? That's another thing about Patrick, he never has them. Of course, came the dawn, and I could see what a fool I'd been. But that's the way I've been going on lately, like some neurotic!'
This burst of relieved chatter had got them out of the cottage.
'Have you mentioned your new friend to Patrick?' asked Elgood casually as he opened the car door.
'Oh yes. The other night. I didn't know how he'd react, especially as when I met her she was protesting against the school that Diana goes to. But you know Patrick. Nothing bothers him. He just suggested I should invite her and her husband round for dinner one night.'
'I'd be careful about inviting the fuzz into my house,' said Elgood only half jokingly. 'What did you say her name was?'
Daphne told him.
To her horror, Elgood put his hands to his face and leaned against the car with a long, low groan.
'What's the matter?' she cried in alarm. Most of her alarm was for Elgood who she feared was having a heart- attack. But there was a little bit left over for herself as her mind raced ahead to the possible consequences.
She put her arm round his shoulders. He moved his hands away from his face, revealing to her relief and also her puzzlement the pains not of disease but of simple dismay.
'What's the matter, Dick?' she demanded. 'Are you all right?'
'I wish I knew,' he said.
He looked at her for a couple of seconds, sighed, took her hand in his and said, 'You'd best come back into the cottage. I've got something to tell you. But first of all, you'd better tell me everything you know about this Mrs Ellie Pascoe.'
2
MEMORIAM
Wednesday for Pascoe started with the dead.
Tuesday had finished with Dalziel. Pascoe wasn't sure which he preferred.
The fat man had rung shortly after five o'clock. He had listened in silence to Pascoe's description of his interrogation of the two boys. His reaction to the news about Elgood and Daphne Aldermann was almost dismissive.
'It doesn't surprise me,' he said. 'If they put him into intensive care, he'd likely ask for a double-bed. Gives Aldermann a good motive, though. And it begins to make it a bit clearer why Dick got so bloody neurotic about Aldermann.'
'Well, it surprised me,' said Pascoe. 'Ellie's got to know Daphne Aldermann quite well and she doesn't sound the type for a quick hump. You don't think it could be serious between her and Elgood, could it? That might explain a few things.
‘If it is, then Dick doesn't know about it,' said Dalziel emphatically. 'Elgood's only serious about himself. He got frightened for some reason and he wanted reassurance, about the desk-lamp, and about the garage door, and about them two fellows that died. He couldn't go through the coroners' reports himself, could he? Is your missus seeing the Aldermann woman again? She's a sharp lass, your Ellie, even if she does get some daft notions sometimes. Ask her to see what she can winkle out.'
'I believe they'll be having coffee together in the morning,' said Pascoe. 'But I don't think Ellie would take kindly to being asked to winkle things out.'
'Why not?' asked Dalziel with audible bewilderment.
'I'm sure if you asked her, she'd be happy to explain the moral position to you, sir,' said Pascoe firmly.
'The moral position? I thought that was when a lass did it on her back, in the dark, with her eyes closed,' said Dalziel. 'You'll be seeing Elgood again, I suppose?'
'Yes. I rang his office today but he's down at the seaside again, God knows who with this time. His secretary said he has a very busy schedule tomorrow, and would Thursday do. I didn't want to sound too urgent so I said OK.'
'Aye, you're right to watch how you go with Dick. Fornication's no crime, remember that.'
