‘Well, that only means one thing, ma’am. Except for Mr Piper breaking the window, which he admitted doing, and which we thought at first was a suspicious circumstance, as he claimed he had lost his key to the bungalow —’
‘Found later by you and Miss Nutley. At the time, she was ignorant of the fact that neither it nor the duplicate in her own possession, would open the bungalow door.’
‘So, ma’am, the suspects are narrowed down in number, it seems to me.’
‘Quite so. It appears that Miss Minnie herself opened the door to her murderer.’
‘That’s it. She must have done.’
‘On the evidence we have been given, she made it a point never to open the door to anyone.’
‘We only know that from Piper, though. She might have made exceptions he didn’t know about. From your own researches of which you have been good enough to keep me informed, it seems that several of the tenants of Weston Pipers had visited that hell’s kitchen on the top floor of that junk shop. Couldn’t Minnie have been persuaded to let one or two of them into the bungalow?’
‘It is possible, certainly, although, except for one person, it seems to me unlikely.’
‘And that one person could have been Miss Barnes, who used to give her those lifts into the town and was in the running to become a sacrificial virgin. That’s who you meant when you spoke of the murderer slipping through our fingers, wasn’t it? You mean she’ll have cooked up an alibi.’
‘I was not thinking of Miss Barnes, Superintendent. If you remember, you were convinced that this was not a woman’s crime and I agree with you. However, I shall know more perhaps, when I have paid my next visit to Weston Pipers.’
‘Right. You do that, ma’am. We’ve still got plenty on our plate trying to trace those missing schoolgirls. Either they or their bodies must be somewhere about. We’re still going through Bosey’s villainous records.’
(2)
‘I am afraid that any morbid discoveries the police may make regarding the fate of the missing schoolgirls will represent but a Pyrric victory,’ said Dame Beatrice to Laura, ‘since it will have cost the taxpayers a great deal of money and bring less than comfort to bereaved parents, for the prime movers in this truly infernal business are both dead. Do you care to accompany me to Weston Pipers? Do as you wish, for neither of us, I am afraid, is exactly
‘Nothing would keep me away.’
They went to Weston Pipers, Laura driving, on the following morning and pulled up in front of the house. Early daffodils and late crocuses were showing in the beds under the windows of Niobe’s office and Chelion Piper’s study, the tide at the foot of the lawn was at the full and the groundsman Penworthy was leaning against the handle of a garden roller watching other people at work.
The work in question was the demolition of the bungalow. Already the doors and window-frames were out and stacked on the grass, and workmen were beginning to load them on to a lorry. A pile of broken glass was lying nearby and other workmen were digging a deep hole in the soft earth at the foot of the high bank near the back of the bungalow as a repository for the glass and any other unsaleable rubbish. Standing by and occasionally dabbing at her eyes with a lace-edged handkerchief, was Niobe.
Dame Beatrice got out of the car, closely followed by Laura, and went up to her.
‘Good morning, Miss Nutley,’ said Dame Beatrice briskly. ‘Rather early, I’m afraid, for a social call, but this is nothing of that kind. I want a word with your man Penworthy.’
‘Oh?’ said Niobe. ‘Well, there he is—’ she raised her voice – ‘idling his time away as usual. Oh, good morning, Mrs Gavin. Do you know Mrs Farintosh, then?’
‘I work for her, only I know her as Dame Beatrice Lestrange Bradley,’ said Laura.
‘Well, yes, of course, I know that now, but I knew her first as Mrs Farintosh. There’s Penworthy. Help yourselves. Is it – may I know what it’s about?’
‘Oh, yes, certainly,’ said Dame Beatrice. ‘It is in connection with the death of Miss Minnie.’
‘I see. Yes, I suppose the police are still trying to find out about that, now they’ve seen fit to release Chelion. I can’t think Penworthy will be of any help, though.’
‘So you are having the bungalow pulled down,’ said Dame Beatrice, gazing admiringly at the orderly nature of the wreckage.
‘Yes, it seemed the best thing. I am going to have a heated swimming pool in its place.’
‘That, perhaps, will be pleasanter for Mr Piper than bathing from the beach, and will save your own journeys into the town when you wish to bathe.’
Niobe looked suspiciously at her, but Dame Beatrice remained bland and seemed innocent of intending any double meaning. Then Niobe said, as unrestrained tears began to pour down her face:
‘Chelion won’t be using the pool. He isn’t here. He’s going to be married. He’s left me Weston Pipers and some money. I don’t suppose I’ll ever see him again.’
‘Dear me!’
‘I expect it’s all for the best.’ Niobe began some vigorous mopping-up operations. ‘He can’t feel any kindness towards me now.’
‘I am sorry to hear it. Just a word with Penworthy then, if I may.’
Penworthy, who had heard Niobe’s strictures, was now engaged with the roller, but thankfully abandoned his task when Dame Beatrice approached.
‘Mornin’!’ he said. ‘You want to know some more about them old buckets of sea water? Drownded in one on ’em, they says. What you think to that, eh?’
