Past Reason Hated

‘I’m not sure,’ Banks said. ‘First, I’d just like to go over one or two details.’

‘Shall we wait for Patsy with the tea?’

They waited. Banks passed the time talking music with Ivers, who was excited about the harmonic breakthroughs he had made over the past two days. Hatchley, hands folded in his lap, looked bored.

Finally, Patsy emerged with a tray and put it down on the table in front of the fire. She wore jeans with a plain white shirt, the top two buttons undone. Banks noticed Hatchley take a discreet look down the front as she bent to put the tray down. She didn’t seem pleased to see Banks, and if either of them recognized Sergeant Hatchley, they didn’t show it. This time, Patsy was surly and evasive and Ivers seemed open and helpful. Luckily, Banks had learned never to take anything at face value. When tea was poured, he began with the questions.

‘It’s the timing that’s important, you see,’ he opened. ‘Can you be any clearer about what time you delivered the Christmas present, Mr Ivers?’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t. Sometime around seven, I’m sure of that.’

‘And you stayed how long?’

‘No more than five minutes.’

‘That’s rather a long time, isn’t it?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘People have funny ideas about time, about how short or long various periods are. I’d say five minutes was a bit long to spend with someone you didn’t like on an errand like that. Why not just hand over the present and leave?’

‘Maybe it wasn’t that long,’ Ivers said. ‘I just went in, handed it over, exchanged a few insincere pleasantries and left. Maybe two minutes, I don’t know.’

Banks sipped some tea, then lit a cigarette. Patsy, legs curled under her on the rug in front of the fire, passed him an ashtray from the hearth.

‘What pleasantries?’ he asked. ‘What did you say to each other?’

‘As I said before, I asked how she was, how Veronica was, made a remark about the weather. And she answered me politely. I handed over the record, told her it was something special for Veronica for Christmas, then I left. We’d at least reached a stage where we could behave in a civilized manner towards one another.’

‘You said it was something special?’

‘Something like that.’

‘How did she react?’

Ivers closed his eyes for a moment and frowned. ‘She didn’t, really. I mean, she didn’t say anything. She looked interested, though. Curious.’

‘That may be why she opened it, if she did,’ Banks said, almost to himself. ‘Did she seem at all strange to you? Did she say anything odd?’

Ivers shook his head. ‘No.’

‘Did she seem to be expecting someone?’

‘How would I know? She certainly didn’t say anything if she was.’

‘Was she on edge? Did she keep glancing towards the door? Did she give the impression she wanted you out of the way as soon as possible?’

‘I’d say yes to the latter,’ Ivers answered, ‘but no to the others. She seemed perfectly all right to me.’

‘What was she doing?’

‘Doing?’

‘Yes. When you called. You went into the front room, didn’t you? Was she listening to music, polishing the silver, watching television, reading?’

‘I don’t know. Nothing… I… eating, perhaps. There was some cake on the table. I remember that.’

‘What was she wearing?’

‘I can’t remember.’

‘Claude’s hopeless about things like that,’ Patsy cut in. Half the time he doesn’t even notice what I’m wearing.’

Taking in the stooped, lanky figure of the composer in his usual baggy clothes, Banks was inclined to believe her. Here was the genius so wrapped up in his music that he didn’t notice such mundane things as what other people said, did or wore.

On the other hand, Ivers obviously had a taste for attractive women. In different ways, both Veronica and Patsy were evidence enough of that. And what red- blooded male would forget a woman as beautiful as Caroline Hartley answering the door in her bathrobe? Surely a man with a taste for so seductive a woman as Patsy Janowksi couldn’t fail to remember, or to react? But then Ivers knew Caroline; he knew she was a lesbian. Perhaps it was all a matter of perspective. Banks pressed on.

‘What about you, Ms Janowski? Can you remember what she was wearing?’

‘I didn’t even go into the house. I only saw her standing in the doorway.’

‘Can you remember?’

‘It looked like some kind of bathrobe to me, a kimonostyle thing. Dark green I think the colour was. She was hugging it tight around her because of the cold.’

‘What time did you arrive?’

‘After seven. I left here about twenty minutes after Claude.’

‘How long after seven?’

‘I’m not sure. I told you before. Maybe about a quarter after, twenty past.’

‘What were you wearing?’

‘Wearing?’ Patsy frowned. ‘I don’t see what that’s-’

‘Just answer, please.’

She shot his right lapel a baleful glance. ‘Jeans, boots and my fur-lined jacket.’

‘How long is the jacket?’

‘It comes down to my waist,’ Patsy said, looking puzzled. ‘Look, I don’t-’

‘Would you say that Caroline was expecting someone else? Someone other than you?’

‘I couldn’t say, really.’

‘Did she react as if she had been expecting someone else when she saw you standing there at the door? Did she show any disappointment?’

‘No, not especially.’ Patsy thought for a moment. ‘She was real nice, given who I am. I’m sorry, but it all happened so quickly and I was too concerned about Claude to pay much attention.’

‘Did she seem nervous or surprised to see you, anxious for you to leave quickly?’

‘No, not at all. She was surprised to see me, of course, but that’s only natural. And she wanted to shut the door because of the cold.’

‘Why didn’t she ask you in?’

Patsy looked at the hearth. ‘She hardly knew me. Besides, all I had to ask her was whether Claude was there.’

‘And she said he wasn’t.’

‘Yes.’

‘And you believed her?’

Patsy’s tone hardened. She spoke between clenched teeth. ‘Of course I did.’

‘Are you sure he wasn’t still in the house?’

Ivers leaned forward. ‘Now wait-’

‘Let her answer, Mr Ivers,’ Sergeant Hatchley said.

‘Caroline said he’d gone. She said he’d just left the record and gone. I hadn’t any reason to believe she was lying.’

‘Was she in a hurry to get rid of you?’

‘I’ve told you, no. Everything was normal as far as I could tell.’

‘But she didn’t invite you inside. Doesn’t that seem odd to you, Ms Janowski? You’ve already said it was so cold on the doorstep that Caroline Hartley had to hold her robe tight around her. Wouldn’t it have made more sense to invite you in, even if just for a few minutes? After all, Mr Ivers here says he only stayed for five minutes.’

‘Are you trying to suggest that I did go inside?’ Patsy exploded. ‘Just what’s going on in that policeman’s mind of yours? Are you accusing me of killing her? Because if you are you’d better damn well arrest me right now and let me call my lawyer!’

‘There’s no reason to be melodramatic, Ms Janowski,’ Banks said. ‘I’m not suggesting anything of the kind. I happen to know already that you didn’t enter the house.’

Patsy’s brow furrowed and some of the angry red colour drained from her cheeks. ‘Then I… I don’t understand.’

‘Did you hear music playing?’

‘No. I can’t remember any.’

‘And you didn’t ask to go inside, to look around?’

‘No. Why should I? I knew he wouldn’t still be there if Veronica wasn’t home.’

‘The point is,’ Banks said, ‘that Mr Ivers could have been in the house, couldn’t he? You’ve just confirmed to me that you didn’t go in and look.’

‘I’ve told you, he wouldn’t-’

‘Could he have been inside?’

She looked at Ivers, then back to Banks. ‘That’s an unfair question. The goddamn Duke of Edinburgh could have been inside for all I know, but I don’t think he was.’

‘The thing is,’ Banks said, ‘that nobody saw Mr Ivers leave. Caroline Hartley didn’t invite you in, even though it was cold, and you didn’t insist on seeing for yourself.’

‘That doesn’t mean anything,’ Ivers burst out, ‘and you know it. It was pure bloody luck on your part that anyone noticed me arrive, or Patsy. You can’t expect them to be watching for me to leave, too.’