user of arsenic is Dr Ringland himself, for his experimental work, and he doesn’t always get a countersignature from one of the others. It’s an understandable lapse-I’m sure I’d have done the same myself. As the person ultimately responsible for laboratory security he would have regarded himself as above suspicion.’
‘What does he have to say?’
‘He can account for every requisition. The trouble is, we only have his word for it.’ Sundeep checked his watch. ‘I have to get back. Let me know how things develop, won’t you?’
Kathy returned to the seat beside Donald. He looked at her anxiously and she shook her head and told him what Sundeep had said. Then she added, ‘What about Emily? Do you think Tina talked to her about what she was searching for?’
He sighed. ‘It’s possible, I suppose. The two of them were more on the same wavelength than me. I just followed Tina’s instructions, but Emily had suggestions of her own. Do you think she’s in danger too?’
‘Not if I can help it. I’m going to speak to her now, Donald. Do you want a lift anywhere?’
‘No, I’ll stay here.’
‘Okay. Give me a ring if there’s any change.’
•
Sophie was waiting for her when she arrived, tense and anxious. They stood in the hallway, talking in low voices.
‘They say Emily is all right, thank goodness. What on earth is going on, Inspector?’
‘Tina collapsed after lunch, and has been taken to University College Hospital. She’s in a coma, and her condition is critical. It does seem like a repeat of what happened to Marion. Emily was with her just before it happened, so I need to speak to her.’
‘Very well, but I insist on being with my daughter when you speak with her.’
‘Certainly, if Emily’s happy with that.’
Sophie led the way into a lounge with a large TV screen at one end. Emily was sitting staring at the blank screen. She jumped to her feet as they came in. ‘What’s happened? What’s going on?’
Kathy repeated what she’d told her mother, and shock filled Emily’s face. ‘But… how?’
‘We’re waiting for tests to be completed, but it does appear as if she was poisoned in much the same way as Marion.’
Emily clapped a hand to her mouth and gave a choking sound.
‘We think it may have happened at the cafe where you had lunch together. So you haven’t felt any symptoms yourself?’
The girl shook her head. Her face was pale and she looked as if she might pass out. Her mother went to her side on the sofa and put an arm around her.
Emily looked up at Kathy, tears filling her eyes. ‘Is she dead too?’
‘The doctors are fighting to save her. They had a better idea what to do this time, but I’m afraid things don’t look good.’
‘I should go to her.’
‘She’s in a coma. There’s nothing we can do at the moment. What’s important is to make sure you’re all right, and for you to tell me anything that might help us.’
Emily stared anxiously at Kathy. ‘Didn’t Tina say anything?’
‘I’m afraid not.’
Emily rocked forward on the edge of her seat, arms clutched around herself, shaking her head. ‘I can’t remember anything special. We were with Donald. He wanted to buy us lunch before I left to come home.’
‘Who is Donald?’ Sophie demanded.
‘Oh, this man who knows Marion’s aunt. He wanted to help us.’
Sophie looked at Kathy in alarm. ‘How do we know he knows her aunt, for goodness’ sake? Are you questioning him?’
‘Yes, I’ve already spoken to him. That’s how we knew Emily was there. Can you remember any of the people that were sitting nearby, or passed you in the cafe?’
She shook her head. ‘It’s just a blur.’
Kathy talked her back through the events of the morning, working forward again to their going to the cafe. ‘You’re sure you can’t remember anyone looking at you, following you? Perhaps someone that Tina may have known?’
Something seemed to register with Emily. She gave a little frown, then said slowly, ‘I did notice someone. I’d seen him there before, at the British Library, a day or two ago. He didn’t approach us, but I did have the feeling that Tina recognised him.’
‘What did he look like?’
‘Oh, quite respectable. Dark hair swept back. Um… in a suit, I think.’
‘I’ll get you to look at some photographs for me, but meanwhile, it might save a little time… You remember that biography of Rossetti we spoke about this morning, Mrs Warrender?’
‘The da Silva book?’
‘Yes. I wonder if I could have a look at your copy?’
‘What?’
‘Please. I’ll explain when you bring it.’
Sophie hesitated, then rose to her feet. ‘All right, but don’t say a word until I get back, Emily.’
When she had gone, Emily gave Kathy a weak smile. ‘Would you like anything, a cup of tea?’
‘No thanks. What about you? A glass of water?’
‘I’m all right.’
Sophie returned, handing Kathy the book.
‘Thank you.’ Kathy turned to the inside flap of the back cover, and showed Emily the author’s photograph.
The girl gave a start. ‘Oh! Yes, I think… It does look like the man I saw. Who is it?’
‘Dr da Silva is a teacher on Tina’s course,’ Kathy said carefully. ‘Did Tina mention him to you?’
‘Yes, and Marion too. I just didn’t know what he looked like.’
‘What did Tina say?’
‘Oh, that she didn’t trust him, that Marion had had a problem with him. That sort of thing.’
‘Yes, well, it’s natural that he would be in the library, and he’s one of the people we’d want to establish as a possible witness.’
‘I see.’
Neither of them looked convinced by Kathy’s explanation, and she went on, ‘I’d like you both to treat this conversation in confidence for now. We’ll be talking to him, among many others. Can you remember exactly when you saw him before?’
‘Not really. Probably Tuesday. Yes, I think Tuesday afternoon.’
‘All right. So, how did you come to be helping Tina?’
‘Well, it was when we gave her a lift after we met with you at Marion’s house. You remember, Mum?’
‘Yes, you said you’d helped Marion from time to time, and Tina asked about what you were going to read at Oxford, and when you said you had spare time at the moment she invited you to help her doing her library searches.’
‘That’s right. I was quite keen, as least to try it for a few days, just to get an idea about her work. Only, well, I think the main reason she asked me was to pump me about what I’d been doing with Marion.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘I didn’t realise at first, but what she was researching wasn’t her own university studies. She was trying to retrace what Marion had been doing in the weeks before she died. She seemed to feel that would explain what happened to her.’
‘But how could it do that, darling?’ Sophie said. ‘Did she say?’
‘She thought that Marion had discovered something really important. Something that would have a huge impact.’
‘About what?’
‘I think-it’s only what I guessed from listening to her-I think it had something to do with him.’ She pointed at
