Knjiga Na Engleskom - Za Ucenje

8/12/2019 Knjiga Na Engleskom - Za Ucenje

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Chapter one

Missing The Queen's Head

Detective Inspector Rod Eliot was watching the rainrunning down his office window. He looked at his watch.6.30. Ti e to leave the ountain of papers on his desk andgo to The !ueen"s Head pu# across the road.

"$ut onl% one #eer&" he told hi self. "I don"t want to #e

stopped #% so e 'unior police an for drunk driving. ThenI"ll have to go ho e to an e pt% house."

(ust as he was leaving the office& the phone rang. Heturned #ack auto aticall% and picked it up. He half hoped it

ight #e his wife.

")orr% to distur# %ou& sir&" said Detective Consta#le(a ie $owen. "$ut we"ve got a #it of a pro#le ."

")o have I&" said Eliot. "I shouldn"t #e here. *sk Inspector +err%on."

")orr%& sir&" said $owen& "#ut Inspector +err%on hasn"t

arrived %et. He phoned to sa% his car is stuck in a traffic 'ain Hackne%. He pro#a#l% won"t #e here for at least an hour&"Eliot hit the top of his desk angril%.

The lights fro The !ueen"s Head looked so inviting.$ut in the street #elow people were crowded into shopdoorwa%s& tr%ing to escape fro the rain. The water pouredonto the street and was thrown up again #% the lines of cars

oving slowl% awa% fro the centre of ,ondon.


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"*ll right& $owen&" he said. "-ou"d #etter tell e a#out itthen. hat is it/"

" e"ve 'ust had a report of a death& sir. *nd there"s agun."

This was the last thing Eliot wanted to hear. He had#een in a #ad ood all da%. He usuall% liked rida% #ecauseof the weekend ahead& when he could spend ti e with hiswife )all% and eight1%ear1old son +ick%. +ick% was cra2%a#out foot#all& and Eliot alwa%s took hi to watch est

Ha on )aturda%s when the% pla%ed at ho e. This weekendwould #e different& though. Eliot had to work& and )all% hadtaken +ick% to her parents" house in $righton for two nights.He had argued with her that orning. ")top shouting&" shehad said. "-ou"re 'ust angr% #ecause %ou don"t want us to goawa%. h% can"t %ou ad it it/"

)he was right& #ut knowing this onl% ade hi oreangr%. He had left the house without sa%ing good#%e to her.

He had tried to ring several ti es to sa% sorr%& #ut therewas no answer. ow she would #e at her parents" house. *ndshe could not speak to hi openl% there #ecause the% would

#e listening."I knew this would #e a #ad da% fro the o ent I

woke up&" he told $owen. "*ll right. e"ll have to go. hereis it/"

"$lackheath& I" afraid& sir."

Eliot sighed. $lackheath was onl% si4 kilo etres froew Cross police station. $ut at this ti e on a rida% night


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there was so uch traffic that the 'ourne% could take over anhour.

Eliot could not think of a worse wa% of spendingrida% evening& especiall% as he had to #e in his office earl%

ne4t orning. h% did ever%one tr% to leave ,ondon at thesa e ti e/ 5ne da% the whole cit% would #e stuck in one#ig traffic 'a . *lread% the traffic oved ore slowl% thanit had a hundred %ears ago. It was adness.

"+eet e downstairs in ten inutes& $owen&" he said.

"5h& and there"ll have to #e edical reports. Check thatso eone"s told a doctor and the pathologist." Eliot turnedawa% fro the window. ell& at least )all% and +ick%weren"t waiting for hi at ho e. He had #etter phone thenow. It ight #e his last chance this evening. )all%"s father picked up the phone. "Hello Rod. it% %ou can"t #e here. The

weather"s #eautiful. How"s the 'o#/"Eliot ade hi self chat politel% for a few inutes and

then asked to speak to )all%.

"I" afraid she"s not here&" her father said. ")he"s taken+ick% for a walk. He couldn"t wait to see the sea. *n%

essage for her/" Eliot couldn"t #elieve his #ad luck."(ust sa% I" pleased the%"ve arrived safel%&" he said.

"*nd give her % love. I"ll ring again to orrow."

He put down the phone and took one last look at The!ueen"s Head. The traffic see ed hardl% to have oved.

ell& at least he could get $owen to drive.


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Chapter twoThe colour of death

The car went forward a few etres& and then stoppedagain. *t first $owen had switched on the #lue light andsiren so that other drivers would let the pass. $ut there wasno space for the to get through& and the% had al ostcaused two accidents. The% were nearl% in $lackheath now.The rain had stopped #ut the traffic see ed to #e gettingworse.

$lackheath 7illage is one of the prettiest and greenestparts of south east ,ondon. Its narrow streets are on a hillwith pleasant views& unusual houses and an% restaurants.,arge areas of grass separate the village fro the ain road.Here children pla% and lovers wander& and fa ilies walk with their dogs.

To orrow night there would #e crowds& as it wasove #er 8& 9u% awkes Da%. Thousands of people would

co e to the $lackheath firework show if the% weren"t havingparties in their own gardens. )o e of these parties see edto have started alread%. The sk% was full of the sounds and

colours of fireworks e4ploding a#ove their heads. Eliotthought a#out his son with a sudden pain. +ick% would #e


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so e4cited to orrow. Eliot would have loved to #ring hihere. He ade hi self think a#out his work instead.

" hat do %ou know a#out this death/" he asked $owen.

" ot uch& sir. It"s a white an in his thirties."

"I suppose we"ll find out ore when we arrive. If weever do arrive& $owen&" added Eliot i patientl%.

")orr%& sir. I" doing % #est&" said $owen.

Eliot wondered how $owen would feel a#out seeing

the dead #od%. It was never eas%& even for hi self after allthese %ears& though he had #eco e uch harder. $owen wastwent%1eight& ten %ears %ounger than Eliot& and had workedwith hi since first 'oining the police. His parents were richand he had #een to Ca #ridge :niversit%.

This had worried Eliot at first. $ut $owen was honestand intelligent and a good police an. Eliot now had a highopinion of hi & though he did not often show it. $ut therewas one thing a#out $owen which Eliot could notunderstand; he was alwa%s falling in love with the wrongwo en. The% were either arried& or not interested in hi &or totall% cra2%. Recentl% he had started asking Eliot for advice when the% were in the car together.

"*ll that education& and he can"t get a girlfriend. hat awaste


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*t last the% turned off the ain road and stoppedoutside a s all #ut #eautiful eighteenth centur% house at theend of a =uiet street. ,ights were shining fro all thewindows. Eliot got out and stretched his legs. or all% he

would have looked forward to seeing the inside of such alovel% #uilding.

* %oung police an opened the door. He looked pale&and see ed ver% pleased to see the .

"Evening& sir. Evening& sir&" he said& looking at each of

the . "+% na e"s Drewitt. The& er& #od%"s through here."The% followed hi through a hall with a deep red

ersian carpet& past so e #eautiful wooden stairs and into asitting roo at the #ack. * fire was #urning in the fireplace&and la ps on low ta#les threw a war light over the curtainsand walls and anti=ue furniture. *n open piano stood #% thewindow& with usic on it and a half filled glass of red wine.

Eliot"s attention was caught #% a dark shape on the wall#eside one of the ar chairs. It was the sa e colour as thecarpet in the hall. *t first it see ed the onl% ugl% thing in theroo . $ut then Eliot looked down at the chair. He =uickl%

looked awa% again. It was a an"s #od%. $ut he onl% knew itwas a an fro its shape and the clothes it wore. otenough of the face re ained to show what se4 it had #een. Itsat in a chair with its #ack to the window. * gun la% #eside iton the floor.

Eliot ade hi self look again. The hands were long&with thin& well1shaped fingers. iano1pla%ing hands. Therewas a thick gold ring on the third finger of the right hand. )o


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he wasn"t arried& though he could #e divorced. His clotheslooked e4pensive& as %ou would e4pect in a house like this.

In the few seconds it took for these thoughts to crossEliot"s ind& $owen had taken out his note#ook and started

=uestioning Drewitt."$owen"s #eco ing as hard as e&" Eliot thought. " ot

like %oung Drewitt there. He"s as white as a sheet."

"*n% idea who he is/" $owen asked Drewitt.

Drewitt was o#viousl% having difficult% speaking." ell& sir&" he said at last& "the house #elongs to a +r *le4

orle%. His neigh#ours called us. +r and +rs Crowther.The% live ne4t door. He nor all% had tea with the on

rida%s& and the% got worried when he didn"t co e thisafternoon as he"d #een feeling ill. He didn"t answer his

door#ell& so the% got into the #ack garden and saw hithrough the window. The doctor"s alread% #een and gone&sir."

"-es&" said $owen. "He wouldn"t have needed to sta%long. *n%one can see the an"s dead."

" e"ll have a word with the Crowthers later&" Eliot said."I"d #etter wait here till the pathologist arrives. $owen& wh%don"t %ou talk to the other neigh#ours. )ee if the% can tell usan%thing interesting."

There was a ring at the door#ell. Two ore police enca e in and started taking photographs of the dead #od%& #utit was another half hour #efore the pathologist arrived. Hewas a short fat cheerful an& who looked as if nothing couldanno% hi .


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"Hello& Eliot. 9ood to see %ou again. )orr% it"s takene so long to get here. The traffic"s awful. I e4pect it"s all

these 9u% awkes ight parties. I don"t see wh% the% can"twait till to orrow. $ut still& there"s a #right side to

ever%thing. I anaged to hear all of +ahler"s Eighth)% phon% on the wa% here. * great recording. ,ife"s tooshort to worr%. Don"t %ou agree& Eliot/" Eliot did not answer.

"I" sure he"d agree with e& if he could&" thepathologist said cheerfull%& pointing to the #od% on the chair.":nless of course& it was suicide. ell& I"d #etter take a look at hi . I don"t e4pect %ou want to sta% here all nightchatting." He opened his #ag& and Eliot decided to gooutside.


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Chapter threeJust friends

Eliot walked around the house. The garden was wellcared for. He could see that even in the dark. The grass wascut& late roses were flowering on two walls& and the stonepaths were clean and tid%. The windows of the sitting roowere rench windows& which opened like doors on to thegarden outside. "* lovel% roo . erfect in su er&" hethought.

*uto aticall%& he went up to the rench windows andtried to open the . He was =uite surprised to find the% wereunlocked.

"I suppose this is how Drewitt got in&" he thought. "Iwonder wh% the%"re open& though. It hasn"t #een the sort of

weather for en'o%ing the garden. $ut it pro#a#l% doesn"tean an%thing. )o e people like to go out in all weathers tolook at their roses." He saw there was a gate in the #ack wallof the garden& which looked new. )all% wanted one of thesein their own garden& so that the% did not have to carr% plantsthrough the house. He went #ack inside and looked in ever%

roo . The #athroo told hi i ediatel% that orle% livedalone. 5ne tooth#rush stood in a ug ne4t to a shaving#rush& and there was a single towel in a ring on one wall.


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Eliot could see the letters * on one corner. The other roo swere all as #eautifull% arranged as the sitting roo . orle%o#viousl% cared a#out his house ver% uch& ore than an%single en.

"* an with a lot of taste and a lot of one%&" Eliotthought. "* luck% an. E4cept that his luck stopped toda%. Iwonder what other people thought of his luck." He wentdownstairs and waited till the pathologist had finished hiswork. "Can %ou tell e an%thing %et/" he asked hi .

" ell& I don"t think he"s #een dead ver% long. $ut I can"tsa% an% ore until I"ve e4a ined hi properl%. *nd I don"tthink %ou"ll get the report until +onda%. I couldn"t tell %ouwhat ti e& I" afraid. e"re so #us% at the o ent. Thework"s increasing& and the%"re cutting the nu #er of staff.The world"s going ad. $ut I know %ou won"t ind waiting&

Eliot. -ou"re a fa il% an& aren"t %ou/ -ou"ll have uchore pleasant things to think a#out at the weekend."

He went out of the door with a s ile& 'ust as $owenwalked in. "Did %ou find out an%thing interesting/" Eliotasked.

" ot reall%& sir&" said $owen. "* lot of people were out.The ones I spoke to have all oved here =uite recentl%& anddon"t see to know an%thing a#out hi . * few people

entioned the% had so eti es seen a wo an here& #ut no1one was ver% interested in hi . one of the know whatwork he does."

"Cit% people


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so ething was wrong. ell& we"d #etter go round and seethe now." u #er >0 was not as #eautiful as orle%"shouse& Eliot thought. $ut there were roses growing aroundthe front door and the front garden was #igger than Eliot"s

own. If he was offered a house like this he would certainl%not refuse. The% walked up the path and rang the #ell&pa%ing no attention to the e4plosions of fireworks aroundthe . +r Crowther opened the door i ediatel%. He was awhite1haired an in late iddle age. He stood ver% straight&which ade hi see taller than he reall% was. His face was

lined& #ut he looked strong and health%& though his handswere shaking. " hat happened to poor *le4/" he asked.

" e don"t know %et& sir&" said Eliot. "$ur we"d like to ask %ou and %our wife so e =uestions."

Crowther controlled hi self with an effort& and led

the into a large sitting roo . Eliot"s attention was caught#% the pictures which covered one of the walls. The% werean interesting i4 of colours& ostl% #lues and greens& andhad o#viousl% #een painted #% the sa e person. +r Crow er introduced his wife& Catherine& and Eliot felti ediatel% that she was the painter.

)he was a #eautiful wo an with #londe hair andlovel% green e%es. It was difficult to tell her age& #ut she wascertainl% uch %ounger than her hus#and. Eliot guessed shewas in her forties. There was no colour in her face& #ut sheanswered his =uestions cal l% enough. * strong and

intelligent wo an& Eliot thought." o& Inspector& we haven"t seen *le4 since a week ago&"

she told hi . " e usuall% eet on rida% afternoons& either


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here or at his house. e"ve done it for %ears. He phoned thisorning fro his shop in 9reenwich to sa% he was co ing.

He and I were going to pla% so e usic together. e oftendo that. It"s a pleasant wa% to end the week."

"I" sure it is&" said Eliot& re e #ering his own rida%afternoons. He turned to her hus#and.

"Have %ou known +r orle% a long ti e& sir/"

",et e see. It ust #e a#out fifteen %ears now& sincehe oved here. That was a#out a %ear after he left universit%.

His other had 'ust died. )he had a lot of one%& and sheleft it all to *le4. Her death ade hi a ver% rich %oung&

an."

"I see&" said Eliot. He let Crowther continue.

"*le4 was ver% unhapp% at first&" he #egan. "His other

had #een ill for so e ti e. It was a long and unpleasantillness& and he took care of her. His father had died so e%ears ago. )he and *le4 were ver% close. *n%wa%& when heca e here& he had no fa il% left.

e haven"t got children of our own& Inspector& and hewas like a son to us."

The age difference #etween orle% and +rs Crowther could not #e ver% #ig. If orle% had left universit% at the ageof twent%1one& like ost people& he would now #e thirt%1seven.

Could she reall% feel like a other towards a an of that age/ Eliot looked at +rs Crowther& and saw so ee #arrass ent on her face.


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" hat ti e were %ou e4pecting hi this afternoon/" heasked.

"He usuall% co es a#out four o"clock." Her voicechanged. "I can"t speak a#out hi in the past tense. I can"t

#elieve he"ll never co e again." )he put her face in her handsand #egan to cr% =uietl%.


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Chapter ?The sound of a shot

"$ut $lackheath isn"t a violent place& Inspector&" +r Crowther said. " e"ve lived here for thirt% %ears and nothinglike this has ever happened #efore. 5f course there"s a #it of stealing so eti es& #ut never urder. e"ve alwa%s feltver% safe here."

Eliot wanted to sa% that urder could happenan%where& even in the nicest places. $ut he onl% said& "Hold

on& sir. e don"t %et know that it was urder.""Then %ou think it looked like suicide/" +r Crowther

asked.

"That"s i possi#le&" his wife said. "*le4 would not havekilled hi self. hat reason could he possi#l% have had/"

"I don"t think an%thing %et& +r Crowther&" Eliot replied."I 'ust have to consider all the possi#ilities& includingaccidental death."

"5h& the gun&" +rs Crowther #egan. )he stopped& andgave her hus#and a =uick look. There was a silence #efore

Eliot continued."Can %ou tell us a#out +r orle%"s 'o#/" he asked. "-ou

said he had a shop in 9reenwich."


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" orle% *nti=ues&" she answered. "It"s one of those #iganti=ue furniture shops on ark )treet& near the Ro%al avalCollege. -ou ust know it."

Eliot had #een there once& when he was first arried&

#efore )all%"s #irthda%. He had seen a s all ta#le in thewindow which he knew she would love. ith his recentsalar% rise& he thought he ight #e a#le to afford it. $ut hehad #een reall% shocked to hear the price. The %oung girlassistant had ade hi feel =uite unco forta#le& and he hadleft =uickl%.

"-es& I"ve #een inside&" he answered. "$ut I don"tre e #er seeing +r orle%."

"5h& he doesn"t spend uch ti e there&" +rs Crowther said. "He doesn"t have to. He 'ust chooses the furniture.

There"s a anager and a part1ti e assistant who doost of the work." )he was talking of orle% in the presenttense again& as if she could not #elieve he was dead. )he andher hus#and #oth looked ver% tired. Eliot would not get

uch useful infor ation fro the this evening.

" e won"t need to sta% long&" he said. "$ut I" afraidwe"ll have to co e #ack to orrow. There are 'ust one or two

ore things I need to know now. Did %ou notice an%thingunusual this afternoon/"

The two houses were not attached& and #oth had thick walls. $ut it was 'ust possi#le that the sound of a gunshot

ne4t door would #e heard here."I" afraid I can"t help %ou& Inspector&" said +r

Crowther. "I was out ost of the afternoon. I went for %


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usual walk after lunch& and I didn"t get #ack till a#out tenpast four. -ou didn"t hear an%thing& did %ou& % dear/" heasked his wife. )he see ed to #e choosing her wordscarefull%.

" ell& I do re e #er hearing a #ang while %ou wereout. I was working and I didn"t reall% think a#out it at theti e. I paint pictures& Inspector& and % work takes all %attention. There are so an% fireworks at the o ent thatdidn"t give it another thought. $ut I suppose it is rather unusual to hear a firework in the iddle of the afternoon."

" hat ti e was this/" asked Eliot.

"It ust have #een after three o"clock&" she said. "That"swhen I started painting. ro#a#l% around three thirt%."

" here were %ou/" he asked.

"In the front roo upstairs&" she answered. "-ou can see*le4"s front door fro there. 5h& wh% didn"t I pa% oreattention/ If so eone had co e out of the house& I couldhave seen the ."

":nless the% left through the rench windows&" Eliotsaid. " ow& I" afraid we"ll need so eone to identif% the#od%& to #e sure it is +r orle%. -ou told us he had norelatives when his other died. Did he ever arr%/"

+rs Crowther covered her face with her hands. Her hus#and put his ar round her& and answered for her.

" o. He had a girlfriend& though 1 * anda 9rant. Ialwa%s thought the% would get arried so e da%. e"ve gother address so ewhere. I"ll go and get it."


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ore different. )he"s usical and paints. Did %ou see thosewonderful pictures on the wall/ $ut he see s =uite ordinar%.He ust #e rich& though& to live in a house like that."

Eliot let hi continue talking. It was ore pleasant to

think a#out the Crowthers than the dead an. *t least the%were alive and still had faces %ou could recognise. +rsCrowther see ed to have #een especiall% close to orle%. Hewould #e interested to know what her hus#and had thoughta#out that. *nd what had she wanted to sa% a#out the gun/

* lot of =uestions filled his ind. The% would all needanswers& eventuall%. $ut he tried not to guess what theseight #e. The case had onl% 'ust #egun& and he did not %et

know all the facts. It was i portant to keep his ind as openas possi#le. 5f course& it ight not #e a ver% difficult 'o#.The% would pro#a#l% find that orle% had killed hi self. He

didn"t see to have left a note& #ut that wasn"t so unusualthese da%s. Eliot hoped the% would not have to wait too longfor the pathologist"s report. The 'ourne% #ack to ew Crosswas easier. The traffic was uch lighter now& and the% wereonl% stopped #% one red light. Eliot thought he ight evenget ho e in ti e for the news.

*fter $lackheath Hill& $owen had to pa% oreattention to the road. Driving in an% parts of ,ondon waslike a co petition now& with drivers tr%ing to overtake eachother as uch as possi#le. *nd the% did not alwa%s slowdown when the% saw a police car. )uddenl%& $owen had to

#rake to avoid a crash. * silver gre% +ercedes had #een leftin the iddle of the road with no lights and the engine stillrunning. "The kids around here


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idea of danger. It"s #ecause no1one takes care of the . Isuppose stealing cars is the onl% fun the% get& at least untilthe%"re old enough to start selling drugs."

The week #efore& he had caught two %oung #o%s in a

stolen car. Their father had #een watching foot#all when thepolice phoned& and he was ver% angr% that he had to go tothe police station #efore the end of the atch. The #o%s weregiven a strong warning& and then allowed to go. $ut 'ust twohours later the% were #ack at the police station& with s ileson their faces. *fter getting ho e& the% had gone straight outto steal another car.

This kind of thing was happening ore and ore theseda%s& and it worried Eliot. The %ounger #o% had onl% #eenten& 'ust two %ears older than +ick%. hat hope was therefor a child like that/

:ntil now& he had anaged to protect +ick% fro theworst ele ents of cit% life. $ut he did not know how uchlonger this could last. In ew Cross& #o%s had to show the%were strong& through fighting or cri e. Eliot worried a#outhis gentle son. He and )all% had #een talking for a long ti e

a#out oving to a safer area. He ust look at house pricesthe ne4t ti e he was in $lackheath.

It took twent% inutes for a police an to co e andtake the +ercedes awa%.

"The owner"s going to #e pleased to get it #ack&" said$owen. "He"s luck% it wasn"t stolen #% professionals. He"dnever have seen it again."


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$% now the% had passed 9olds ith"s College. Thepave ents were full of %oung people waiting outsidetakeawa% restaurants or =ueuing to get into usic clu#s. Thegirls looked ver% cold in thin dresses and 'ackets. It ade

Eliot want to turn up the heating in the car. He was luck%+ick% was a #o%. If he had a daughter& he knew he wouldworr% a#out her even ore.

The police station was =uite crowded when he went into ake his report. rida% and )aturda% were alwa%s the#usiest nights. Too uch alcohol was drunk #% %oungpeople& and an% had hardl% eaten ore than a sandwichsince #reakfast. It was not surprising that the% #eca e nois%and violent. There were often fights. "The English pro#le &"thought Eliot. " e"re fa ous for it. e even e4port it& onholida% and at foot#all atches."

He #ought a take1awa% eal fro an Indian restaurantand drove ho e. The news had 'ust finished and he #egan towatch a co ed% progra e. He usuall% en'o%ed it #ut toda%the 'okes didn"t see ver% funn%. erhaps it was #ecause hewas tired. He had had a long da%.

or all%& Eliot went to sleep as soon as his headtouched the pillow& waking up after e4actl% eight hours&feeling fresh and livel%. $ut tonight he kept turning froside to side& una#le to rela4. *nd when sleep finall% ca e& itgave hi no peace. He drea ed he saw +ick% and )all% inthe #ack of a stolen +ercedes. * gun la% on the seat in front&

ne4t to the driver. Eliot watched in fear as the an wentfaster and faster. He shouted at hi to stop. )uddenl% the


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an turned round without slowing the car& and Eliot sawonl% #lood instead of a face. Eliot woke up covered in sweat.


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Chapter si4Identifying the body

Eliot woke at @.?8 with the sun on his face. It wasstrange how things alwa%s see ed #etter in the orning.,ast night"s worries had co pletel% disappeared& and he waslooking forward to the da% ahead.

*fter a =uick #ath& he went down to get his newspaper fro the letter1#o4. The front page was full of stories of political #ri#es. He read it with interest while he was having

his coffee and toast. It was nice to have a =uiet #reakfast& for a change. $ut he wondered what ti e he could phone )all%.It was too earl% now. He ight wake her parents. It wassurprising how uch he wanted to hear her voice. In their ten %ears of arriage& he had so eti es had to go awa% for work. He did not ind this occasionall%. $ut she had ver%rarel% left hi & and he issed her. He supposed this waswh% he had slept so #adl%.

*t the police station& $owen was waiting outside hisoffice. "*n% develop ents/" asked Eliot.

" ell& sir& we"ve 'ust heard that there were severalpeople"s fingerprints in the house. $ut on the gun& there wereonl% the dead an"s."


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" ot a great help&" said Eliot. "It could still #e suicide.5r an accident. 5r urder. +a%#e so eone shot hi &cleaned the gun& and then put it in his hand to look likesuicide. ell& we"d #etter see * anda 9rant and take her to

look at the #od%. Then we"ll ake another visit to theCrowthers."

* anda 9rant lived in 9reenwich& which was half wa% #etween ew Cross and $lackheath. Eliot wanted tostart earl% to avoid the crowds as uch as possi#le.

Thousands of tourists arrived ever% da% fro the centreof ,ondon. +an% were visitors to the +illenniu Do e&while others ca e to see the fa ous old parts of 9reenwich;the !ueen"s House& the 5ld Ro%al 5#servator% and the Cutt%)ark& the fastest ship to #ring tea fro China in thenineteenth centur%. 5n )aturda%s& the tourists were 'oined #%

people fro other areas of ,ondon. The% visited the park and the an% arkets around the town where %ou could #u%al ost an%thing& old or new. $owen had to park the car so e distance fro where * anda 9rant lived. Her housewas not on a road& #ut looked directl% out over the river&with onl% her garden and a pu#lic path in #etween. It wass all& #ut ver% attractive.

"It"s so =uiet& we could al ost #e in the countr%&" saidEliot. "$ut we"re onl% a few inutes fro the centre of 9reenwich. I wonder how uch this house is worth.."Certainl% a lot ore than I could afford."

The door was opened #% a short& dark1haired wo an inher late twenties& dressed in 'eans and a long #right colouredpullover. )he looked rather pale and tired. )he was not


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#eautiful like Catherine Crowther& #ut she had an attractiveface. Eliot could not re e #er where he had seen her face#efore.

"9ood orning&" said Eliot. "I" Detective Inspector

Eliot& and this is Detective Consta#le $owen. e"d like tospeak to * anda 9rant& if she"s at ho e."

"I" * anda 9rant&" she answered. Her voice wasunusuall% deep. " hat can I do for %ou& Inspector/"

"+a% we co e in& +iss 9rant/" asked Eliot. "It would

#e easier to talk inside." )he looked surprised #ut cal l%asked the to co e in. The front door opened directl% into asitting roo & where #right curtains and carpets gave a warfeeling. * cat was washing itself on a chair. Through thewindow Eliot could see the %ellow and white shapes of the+illenniu Do e #eside the river. In front of it a #oat

oved slowl% towards the centre of 9reenwich. iano usicwas co ing fro a CD pla%er ne4t to a large desk coveredwith papers and #ooks. *t one end a single rose stood in aglass vase. Eliot felt ver% unwilling to #ring the su#'ect of death and guns into this peaceful roo . )he did not sa% a

word while he spoke& or for a long ti e afterwards. "Isuppose %ou"ll want e to identif% the #od%&" she saideventuall%. "-ou o#viousl% need to ake sure it"s *le4." Her face showed no sign of what she was feeling.

Eliot wondered how an% ore strong and intelligentwo en the% would find in orle%"s life.

"-es& I" afraid so& +iss 9rant&" he said. " e"ll take %outhere now& if %ou don"t ind. *fter that& we"ll need to ask %ou so e =uestions."


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Her face was pale as she switched off the usic andput on her coat. $ut she was =uite cal as she got into thecar. Could she reall% #e as cool as she see ed/ Eliot lookedat her closel% as the% went into the #uilding. )he still

showed no sign of strong feeling. Her hands started to shakeonl% when the #od% was #rought out and the plastic sheettaken off. 5f course& the head re ained covered. If she couldnot #e sure without seeing the face& the% would have to usefingerprints and dentist"s records. $ut he did not think thiswould #e necessar%. *n%one who knew this an would

recognise those long fingers. )he looked =uickl% at the #od%&and nodded at Eliot. "-ou"re certain/" he had to ask.

)he touched the an"s right hand for a o ent. Thenshe started to cr%.

o1one spoke as the% drove #ack into 9reenwich.

:nusuall% for ove #er& the sun was still #right& and an%people were carr%ing their 'ackets over their ar s.

* gre% sk% would have #een ore suita#le& Eliotthought. It would have atched the sadness in * anda9rant"s e%es. )he was staring straight ahead of her. )he

o#viousl% did not notice the weather or Eliot"s face as heturned round to look at her.


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Chapter sevenNot an easy relationship

The cat 'u ped off the chair as the% entered *rnanda9rant"s house. It went out of the roo & and $owen followedto look for the kitchen. )ince 'oining the police he had#eco e used to aking tea in strange houses. He found

ost people felt #etter after a cup if it was strong and ver%sweet.

*rnanda 9rant took the drink and thanked hi =uietl%.

)he tasted it and ade a face #ecause of the sugar& #ut drank it without sa%ing an%thing.

)he see ed =uite cal again when Eliot started asking=uestions.

"I" a 'ournalist& Inspector&" she said. "I work for a

aga2ine called o en in the orld. I don"t suppose %ou"veheard of it."

$ut he had. )all% had started getting it& and he hadlooked at it occasionall%& tr%ing to understand wh% itinterested her. )uddenl%& he re e #ered where he had seen

*rnanda 9rant"s face. It was in the aga2ine ever% onth&on the inside front page. He had noticed it #ecause it was souch %ounger than the three other faces there. 5#viousl%&

she was a ver% successful wo an.


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"I" afraid I don"t have ti e for aga2ines& +iss9rant&" he answered& not co pletel% truthfull%. "Have %ouknown +r orle% long/"

"*l ost four %ears&" she said. " e et on Dece #er

3Ast& at a ew -ear"s Eve part%. *fter that we started seeingeach other =uite often."

"How often/" asked Eliot.

"5h& several ti es a week&" she answered. "$ut not souch recentl%." )he turned her face awa%. "+% new 'o# takes

so uch of % ti e that he wanted e to give it up. e hadlots of argu ents a#out it. e had one the last ti e I sawhi ."

)he put her hand over her e%es.

"*nd when was that& +iss 9rant/" Eliot asked.

")unda% evening&" she said. "Then I was awa% inEdin#urgh till %esterda% afternoon. I should have phonedduring the week& #ut I was angr% with hi . I suppose he feltthe sa e. I called %esterda% when I got #ack& #ut he wasn"tin." Her voice see ed to change a little. "It was rida%&" shesaid& "so I supposed he"d gone to see Catherine Crowther earlier than usual."

"$ut I understood he went to see #oth the Crowthers&"said Eliot& a little ore sharpl% than he had intended.

"That"s what Ronald Crowther likes to think&" sheanswered. "He was ver% kind to *le4 after his other died.*le4 was alone in the world and he needed Ronald"s help atfirst. $ut then he got #etter& and his life changed. He neededRonald less& #ut Ronald started to depend on hi . Ronald"s


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rather lonel%. He doesn"t have an% friends." Eliot lookedinterested& #ut said nothing.

"*le4 #egan to find Ronald rather #oring&" shecontinued& "though he never showed it. He hated hurting

people& and he couldn"t forget how kind Ronald had #een tohi . $ut *le4 shared ore interests with Catherine. The%liked each other a lot& though Ronald never see ed 'ealous.Ronald"s interested in sport& and *le4 wasn"t. $ut he used topretend he was& to ake the old an happ%."

"*nd were %ou 'ealous& +iss 9rant/" Eliot wanted toask. $ut this was not the right ti e for this =uestion. Insteadhe looked thoughtfull% at a photograph on her desk. Itshowed a tall thin an with #lond hair and dark e%es whichwere laughing at the ca era. * ver% handso e an. If thiswas *le4& it was not surprising that he was loved #% wo en.

)he followed his e%es& and nodded for the second ti e thatda%. "-es& that"s *le4&" she said.

"Do %ou ind if we #orrow the picture/" asked Eliot.

)he gave it to hi without a word.

"Is there an%thing ore %ou"d like to tell us a#out +r orle%/" Eliot asked. "*n%thing unusual or different/"

" ell& recentl% he said he"d #een feeling weak& and thenhe started getting headaches&" she replied. "$efore that& he"dnever reall% #een ill. He didn"t even have a doctor until this%ear. I suppose that was wh% he got so worried a#out his

headaches. *nd he had a lot of ti e to think a#out his health.*le4 had a lot of one%& Inspector& and he hardl% needed to


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work. He could afford to #e la2%. )o e people ight callthat luck%& #ut I wouldn"t #e happ% with a life like that."

)he looked i patient for a o ent. Then shecontinued& "*n%wa%& for so e reason he got the idea that

there was so ething seriousl% wrong with his health. $ut hewouldn"t sa% what he thought it was. He even had so ehospital tests a few weeks ago."

"*nd what did the% show/" asked Eliot.

"I don"t know&" she answered. "The results still hadn"t

arrived the last ti e I saw hi . I kept telling hi that was agood sign. If the% had found an%thing serious& the% wouldhave told hi i ediatel%."

"-ou have to wait for ever%thing these da%s&" said Eliot&thinking of the pathologist"s report. " ewer and fewer people

do ore and ore of the work. ell& we"ll need his doctor"sna e and address. Do %ou know it/"

" hilip ilver&" she said. "*le4 had known hi for %ears. He works in $lackheath& so when *le4 needed adoctor& he was the o#vious choice. He lives at 8? ep%sRoad& in ew Cross."

"That"s a long wa% fro his work&" said Eliot& thinkingof last night"s traffic 'a . "He couldn"t afford a house in$lackheath. He hasn"t #een a doctor for ver% long. Hisfa il% were poor& like ine. e"ve #oth had to fight for what we"ve got. :nlike *le4." )he looked at the place on the

desk where orle%"s photograph had #een. Then she lookeddown. Eliot wished he could give it #ack to her.


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"+iss 9rant&" Eliot said gentl%. "can %ou think of an%reason wh% +r orle% ight have wanted to kill hi self/"

Her face lost all its colour. )he looked at Eliothelplessl%& and shook her head. " ould %ou like us to phone

a friend for %ou/" Eliot asked. "The% could co e and sit with%ou. e"ll wait until the% arrive."

"Thank %ou& Inspector&" she said. "$ut I"ll #e all rightalone."

Eliot and $owen said good#%e& #ut she did not see to

hear the . Eliot wondered if she knew she still had her coaton.


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Chapter eightThe Blackheath bonfire

The two en were silent for a long ti e& affected #%* anda 9rant"s sadness. Eliot had forgotten a#out 9u%

awkes ight until the% got to the top of $lackheath Hill.o children were pla%ing on the grass toda%. Instead it had a

fence around it& with signs telling people to sta% out. Insidethe fence& there was a lot of activit%.

9roups of people were stud%ing pieces of paper and

shouting instructions. ork en were carr%ing fireworks of all shapes and si2es and piling the onto plastic sheets l%ingon the ground. In the iddle& four en were #uilding a large#onfire.

"I suppose we"re luck% orle% died %esterda%& and not

toda%&" Eliot said at last. "The traffic will #e worse than ever tonight."

" hat did %ou think of her& sir/" $owen asked. "*t firstshe see ed so cool& like one of those hard career wo en."

"I liked her&" said Eliot. ")he doesn"t show her feelings

easil%& #ut that doesn"t ean she doesn"t have an%. I think shehad strong feelings for orle%& though there were o#viousl%pro#le s with their relationship."


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")he didn"t sa% uch a#out Catherine Crowther& didshe/" said $owen. "I"d love to know what the two wo enreall% feel a#out each other."

orle%"s house looked even ore lovel% in da%light. Its

si2e and shape were perfect& and the sunlight gave an e4trarichness to the colour of its old walls. *lthough it was

ove #er& the roses were still #eautiful. It see edi possi#le that so ething terri#le had happened here theda% #efore.

The telephone was on an anti=ue ta#le ne4t to thewooden stairs in the hall. There were three essages on theanswerphone& two fro the da% #efore. * anda 9rant hadcalled at 3.?8 sa%ing she was #ack. * few inutes later so eone called hilip had invited orle% and * anda to)unda% lunch. Then at eight o"clock that orning * anda

9rant had phoned again." hilip was the na e of that doctor * anda 9rant told

us a#out&" re e #ered Eliot. "I wonder if it"s the sa eperson."

It was al ost half past one when $owen and Eliot

finished searching the house. orle% had o#viousl% #een aver% tid% an& and ever%thing see ed to #e still in its place.The% took awa% a diar%& an address #ook and B>&000 in cash&which was sitting on top of his desk.

" o1one tried to steal his one%&" said $owen. ")o that"snot wh% he was killed. How can people keep so uch cashat ho e/ It"s 'ust an invitation to cri inals."


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"5h& he pro#a#l% thought $lackheath was safe&" Eliotanswered. "Re e #er what Crowther said/ eople like thatdon"t #elieve cri e will ever happen to the . e"d #etter goand see the now. I want to know ore a#out that gun she

entioned." $ut the Crowthers were not at ho e& so Eliotand $owen decided to have lunch in an old pu# on the edgeof $lackheath. Through the window the% could see thework en preparing the evening"s firework show.

The #onfire was uch #igger now. 9roups of peoplestood looking at the odel of 9u% awkes l%ing ne4t to it.To Eliot it see ed al ost alive with its #lack hair and #eardand seventeenth centur% hat and coat.

Tonight& an% people would watch it #urning on top of the #onfire. $ut few would think a#out the real 9u% awkes&who was #urned for tr%ing to #low up the Houses of

arlia ent. His reason had #een religious. $ut ost of thepeople watching tonight would have ver% little interest inreligion. as an%thing so i portant these da%s that peoplewould kill to protect it/ Eliot saw +ick%"s and )all%"s facesin his ind"s e%e. He re e #ered he had to ring the & #utthe onl% phone was in the noisiest part of the #ar. He sighed.The call would have to wait& #ut he would look at houseprices straight after lunch.


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Chapter nineecrets and lies

$owen had to ring the #ell twice #efore CatherineCrowther opened the door. Eliot was surprised once again #%how lovel% she was. )he was wearing a green pullover that

atched her e%es. *nd her #eaut% was strengthened #% theunhappiness that showed in her face.

Ronald Crowther was in the sitting roo reading anewspaper. He looked up when the% walked in& #ut not

#efore Eliot noticed that his e%es were staring at the top of the front page. He had o#viousl% 'ust picked it up.

He see ed angr% and his wife looked ver% nervous&though the% #oth tried to hide it. The% had pro#a#l% #eenarguing #efore the door#ell rang. Eliot decided to =uestion

the in different roo s. It would #e interesting to see if their stories were the sa e. " e"d like to ask %ou #oth a fewore =uestions&" he said. "+rs Crowther& could %ou show e

where %ou were painting %esterda%/ Detective Consta#le$owen will speak to +r Crowther down here."

He knew that $owen would have preferred to speak toCatherine Crowther& #ut the %ounger an did not let an%disappoint ent show on his face. He got out his note#ook asCatherine Crowther led Eliot awa%.


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)he took hi upstairs to a roo with white walls andno furniture& which s elled pleasantl% of paint. Eliot couldsee the #acks of several paintings standing against the walls&and another #% the window which was not =uite finished.The

colours were surprising. :nlike the #lues and greens of thepictures downstairs& this painting was in #lack& dark red andorange. It contained a lot of violence. Eliot could hardl%#elieve it had #een painted #% the sa e person.

" hat ade her change to this st%le of painting/" hewondered. "*nd when did it happen/ I"d love to know whatthe paintings over there are like."

He looked through the window& and had a perfect viewof C Drewitt standing outside orle%"s front door with acigarette in his hand.

If Catherine Crowther spent a lot of ti e painting uphere& she would know all a#out orle%"s private life.

"How long were %ou up here %esterda%/" he asked.

"+ost of the orning&" she said. "I suppose I startedpainting at a#out half past nine. I stopped at a#out twelveo"clock& and #egan again 'ust after three& as I told %ou%esterda%.

"$ut I didn"t see an% visitors in the afternoon."

" hat a#out the orning/" asked Eliot.

" ell& so eone did co e 'ust #efore I stopped&" shesaid.

"$ut I didn"t see his face. I onl% looked up as he wasgoing through the front door."


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")o %ou have no idea who he was/" Eliot asked.

" ell." )he stopped for a o ent. " ro #ehind helooked a #it like hilip ilver. He"s a friend of *le4"s& andhis doctor. The an had the sa e colour hair& and a nav%1

#lue 'acket like hilip. $ut I can"t #e sure it was hi &Inspector. I onl% saw hi for a second."

"That"s ver% helpful&" said Eliot. "Do %ou think %ourhus#and saw hi /"

"Ronald was working in the #ack garden all orning&"

she said. "He wouldn"t have seen an%thing. I suppose height have heard so ething if the%"d gone out into *le4"s

garden& though. -ou"d #etter ask hi ."

" e will&" replied Eliot. " ow& we need to know orea#out +r orle%. hat kind of an was he/"

)he looked into the distance and her e%es filled withtears.

"* ver% interesting an&" she said. "*nd a ver% kindone. )o eti es too kind. He hated hurting people& and it

ade hi rather weak."

)he see ed to #e sorr% she had said this& and went onver% =uickl%& "It"s i possi#le to #elieve that an%one wouldwant to hurt hi ."

"-ou said %esterda% that %ou didn"t #elieve it wassuicide&" said Eliot. " hat ade %ou so sure/"

)he looked awa% =uickl%. "I didn"t know what I wassa%ing %esterda%& Inspector. 5f course it"s possi#le that he


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killed hi self. *n%one could co it suicide if the situationwas difficult enough."

"*nd was +r orle% in a difficult situation/" askedEliot with interest. :ntil now he had #elieved that *le4"s life

had #een eas%. Too eas%& if * anda was right." ell& I could see he had so ething on his ind that he

wouldn"t talk a#out&" she said.

"$ut he usuall% told e ever%thing. He didn"t keepsecrets."

")he"s talking a#out hi like a lover&" thought Eliot."Don"t isunderstand e& Inspector&" she said =uickl%.

"*le4 and I were ver% close. He was pro#a#l% % #estfriend& #ut we didn"t have a love affair. +% hus#and had noworries a#out our relationship. He knew ever%thing thathappened #etween us."

"I see&" said Eliot& not #elieving this at all. " ow& %ouentioned a gun last night. Can %ou tell e ore a#out it./"

"Did I/" she said& looking awa%. "I was so shocked%esterda%. I"ve forgotten what I said. $ut I do re e #er Ronald and *le4 'oking a#out one recentl%. It was after *le4had #ought a valua#le painting for his house. Ronald askedif he had ever thought a#out #eing ro##ed& and *le4 saidhe"d #etter go out and #u% a gun. +a%#e that"s what I wasthinking a#out last night. $ut neither of the were serious&Inspector. othing ever happens in $lackheath."

)he looked as if she knew Eliot did not #elieve her.)he was not a ver% good liar. " ow& I understand +r orle%


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had #een worried a#out his health&" he went on. "Could %outell e a#out it/"

"5h& %es&" she said =uickl%& as if pleased to change thesu#'ect. "He"d had a lot of headaches& and he took the ver%

seriousl%. That was how his other"s illness started&Inspector. )he died of a #rain tu our& %ou see& and it wasn"tpleasant. *le4 was getting reall% worried."

"*nd would %ou sa% that +r orle% was a la2% an/"asked Eliot& re e #ering what * anda 9rant had said.

" ot at all& Inspector&" she answered. "He didn"t spendall his ti e doing #usiness& if that"s what %ou ean. $utthere are an% other kinds of work. *le4 loved usic and#ooks and paintings& and he gave a lot of ti e to the . 5f course& so e people would not consider that work& #ecauseit doesn"t ake an% one%."

)he looked at Eliot as if she was wondering whether he#elonged to this group of people. " hat was his relationshipwith +iss 9rant like/" he asked. "Do %ou think the% werehapp% together/"

)he was =uiet for a o ent. Then she said& "* anda isa %oung wo an of the world& Inspector. )he wants to #esuccessful and she couldn"t see that *le4"s values weredifferent. )he didn"t alwa%s understand hi . It causedpro#le s #etween the ."

" hat kind of pro#le s/" asked Eliot.

"*le4 wanted to arr% her& #ut she couldn"t ake upher ind. )he wanted hi to take ore interest in his


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#usiness. It ade *le4 ver% unhapp%." )he looked at Eliotsadl% for a o ent.

")he didn"t realise how luck% she was&" she said. "*ndnow it"s too late. Too late to change an%thing."

)he put her hand over her e%es to hide her tears.


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Chapter ten!alling in lo"e again

:nlike an% en& Eliot did not feel unco forta#lewhen wo en cried. In his 'o# he was =uite used to it. Hewatched +rs Crowther closel%& #ut without appearing to.)he was clearl% unhapp%& #ut it was also o#vious that shewas hiding so ething. +a%#e it had nothing to do with

orle%"s death. *nd a%#e orle%"s death was suicide. $utstill he wanted to know what it was.

or the o ent& though& he could ask onl% routine=uestions.

"There"s one ore thing that interests e&" he said." e"ve found a lot of one% in +r orle%"s house. Did healwa%s keep large a ounts of cash at ho e/"

"I have no idea& Inspector&" she said in surprise. "+one%isn"t so ething I usuall% discuss."

" o&" thought Eliot. "I suppose %ou don"t need to when%ou"ve got so uch."

The% went out of the door. Eliot stopped in front of a

painting outside the roo . It was si ilar to the onesdownstairs.

"+a% I ask if this is one of %ours/" he said.


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)he nodded& looking surprised again& and he went on&"It"s ver% different fro the one %ou"re working on now."

"5h& I wanted to tr% so ething new&" she said lightl%.)he turned =uickl% towards the stairs& #ut not #efore Eliot

had seen her face was starting to #urn. $owen and RonaldCrowther were waiting for the in the hall.

"If there"s an%thing ore we can tell %ou& please ask&"said Ronald Crowther. "*le4 was a wonderful an. e wantto do ever%thing we can to help."

"5h there is one thing. I understand %ou were workingoutside %esterda% orning& sir&" said Eliot. "Did %ou hear an%thing fro orle%"s garden/"

" ot a thing& I" afraid& Inspector&" said RonaldCrowther.

He opened the door to let the out& and stood lookingat the as the% walked down the path towards the gate.

In the car the% co pared the Crowthers" stories& whichsee ed to agree in ever% detail. " hat a#out that stor% of thegun& sir/" asked $owen. "Do %ou #elieve it/"

" ot a word of it&" Eliot said. "The%"re o#viousl% l%ing. Iwonder wh%. hat did %ou think of Ronald Crowther/"

" ell& he"s not as intelligent as his wife&" answered$owen. "*nd he"s o#viousl% unhapp% a#out orle%& #ut notas unhapp% as she is. I"d sa% he"s worried a#out so ething&frightened a%#e."


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"I think it would take a lot to frighten a an likeCrowther&" said Eliot. "He doesn"t see to #e a an of ver%

uch i agination."

" ro what %ou"ve said& sir& Catherine Crowther didn"t

have a ver% high opinion of * anda 9rant."" o& she see ed to feel she understood orle% #etter

than * anda."

"Do %ou think orle% and Catherine Crowther werehaving an affair& sir/

"I don"t know&" Eliot said. ")he was o#viousl% ver% closeto hi #ecause he told her wh% he was so worried a#out hisheadaches. Even * anda didn"t see to know that."

")o what"s our ne4t ove/" asked $owen.

" ell& we can"t =uestion the again #efore we"ve seenthe pathologist"s report on +onda%&" said Eliot. "$ut we"ll goand see hilip ilver first thing to orrow. I wonder if hewas the an that Catherine Crowther saw %esterda%. Hisna e keeps appearing ever%where. He a% have so ethingto tell us."

The% decided to call in at orle%"s shop in 9reenwich&and as the% turned into ark )treet the% saw strea s of tourists walking towards the river. +an% were eating icecrea s& although it was now =uite cold and alread% startingto get dark. It was a long street of tall s art houses. Their windows and doors were all the sa e dark #lue& #ut plantsgrew ever%where& in front gardens and window #o4es&giving it colour and life. There were onl% two shops& which#oth sold anti=ues. The% stood side #% side& as if the% needed


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each other"s co pan% a ong the houses all around. *#ovethe door of the larger one was orle%"s na e in gold letters.

The windows held al ost nothing. In one there was as all ta#le with a #eautiful etal la p on it. In the other a

large Chinese pot stood on a richl% coloured ersian carpet.Eliot ust have #een ad to i agine he could affordan%thing here. *nd the house prices he had seen had a a2edhi . $ut he would find the one% sooner or later& even if hehad to work ever% weekend for a %ear.

*lthough it was onl% four o"clock& a sign on the door said "Closed". $ut a %oung wo an was sitting at a ta#leinside. He knocked once on the door& and then again& oreloudl%& when she did not ove. He held up his police an"scard& and she ca e =uickl% to the door. It was o#vious shehad #een cr%ing.

"I" ,inda )cott&" she said. "I" the anager here. Isuppose %ou"ve co e a#out poor *le4. He was such a lovel%

an. 5f course& I closed the shop i ediatel% when* anda phoned. Do %ou have an% idea how it happened/"

Eliot was glad she alread% knew. He did not like giving

#ad news. He had alread% had to tell enough people a#outorle%"s death.

"I" afraid it"s still too earl% to sa%&" he said. "$ut %ouight #e a#le to help us. Did %ou see +r orle% %esterda%/"

"-es. He alwa%s ca e on rida%s&" she said. "He was

here fro a#out nine1thirt% to eleven.""*nd did he do an%thing unusual/" asked $owen.


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" o& I don"t think so&" she said. "He ade a few phonecalls and wrote so e letters. He did take =uite a lot of

one% awa% #ut that wasn"t unusual. He said he wasplanning to #u% so ething. In this #usiness people often

prefer to #e paid in cash. It stops the having to pa% ta4.")he stopped and looked worried. )he suddenl% see ed

to re e #er she was talking to a police an.

$owen s iled at her& though he didn"t usuall% find itfunn% when people talked a#out #reaking the law.

"Do %ou know how uch one% he took/" asked$owen& still s iling.

"(ust over B>&000& I think&" she said& opening a largenote#ook. "-es& B>&000."

"(ust one ore thing #efore we go&" said Eliot. " as +r.

orle% a good e plo%er/"" onderful&" she said. "He was kind and hu an. )o

different fro ost e plo%ers these da%s. $ut recentl% he"d#een looking unhapp%. He see ed worried a#out so ething.He said he"d #een getting headaches& #ut it ust have #een

ore than that."

$owen wrote down her address #efore the% left theshop. " h% was orle% so attractive to wo en/" he askedEliot in the car. " one of the have a #ad word to sa% a#outhi .

)he see s to have #een half in love with hi herself."

"$ut it didn"t do hi uch good& did it/" said Eliot." hat"s the atter& $owen/ *re %ou getting 'ealous of hi /"


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He had #een 'oking. $ut a look at $owen"s faceshowed hi the other an was =uite serious.

"(ust don"t get an% ideas a#out ,inda )cott until thecase is over&" Eliot warned. " o& sir&" said $owen.

"-ou"ll have to keep an open ind a#out her&" continuedEliot. ")he a% #e guilt% of his urder."

He had no real reason for thinking this. *nd he had toad it that she see ed nicer than the girls $owen usuall%liked. $ut with $owen"s luck& nothing would surprise hi .


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Chapter elevenHo#es and fa#ilies

*t last he was ho e. Eliot took off his tie& pouredhi self a #eer and rang )all%"s parents" nu #er. He half e4pected no1one to #e at ho e& #ut )all% picked up thephone #efore the second ring. )he sounded pleased to hear his voice. "Hello Rod&" she said. " here have %ou #een allda%/ I rang the station four ti es."

"$lackheath and 9reenwich ostl%&" he replied. "I"ve got

a new urder& #ut I" not getting ver% far with it. There"s adead an who ever%#od% loved. *nd a lot of one% in hishouse& #ut none of it stolen. It ight have #een suicide& #utwe won"t know till +onda%. *re %ou all right/"

"-es& we"ve had a lovel% da%&" she said. "It"s a pit% %o

had to sta% in ,ondon. $ut %ou sound happier than %ou wereon rida%."

"-es& I" sorr% I was in such a terri#le ood&" Eliotsaid.

"How"s +ick%/"

"Having a great ti e. $ut he"s issing %ou a lot. Hecan"t stop talking a#out %ou. -ou"d #etter have a word withhi ."


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"Hello& Dad&" said +ick%.

Eliot s iled as his son talked a#out the #each andtonight"s firework show. He alwa%s got so uch pleasurefro life. Eliot was sorr% not to #e with hi . $ut when he

put the phone down& he realised he felt tired. The thought of a =uiet evening in front of the television suddenl% see edver% pleasant. +atch of the Da% would #e enoughe4cite ent for this evening& if he could keep awake longenough to watch it.

He was pleased that )all% was not angr% with hi . Infact& she was never angr% for long. $ut it did not stop Eliotfeeling unco forta#le after argu ents. There could alwa%s#e a first ti e.

He ade hi self so e food& went into the sitting rooand turned on the news. The govern ent was in trou#leagain. Eliot tried to listen to the details through the sounds of fireworks e4ploding outside. $ut he was too tired to #e ver%interested.

He fell asleep in the iddle of the )aturda% nighthospital dra a. $ut the shouting of foot#all fans woke hi

up after two hours. est Ha had 'ust scored the winninggoal& three inutes fro the end. Eliot s iled as he turnedoff the television.

e4t orning the weather had changed. It was the firstda% of winter.

hen he arrived at the office& $owen was alread%there.

Eliot thought he had not looked so happ% for onths.


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"+orning& $owen. Did %ou have a good evening/" heasked.

" ell& I thought orle%"s diar% ight help us& sir&" hesaid. ")o I took it ho e to look at. He o#viousl% didn"t want

an%one else to understand it. It"s written in 9reek and ,atini4ed together& #ut I think I" 'ust #eginning to see how it

works. It will take a #it of ti e& though& #efore I can read it."

"Education is a wonderful thing&" said Eliot. $ut hehi self had 'oined the police as soon as he left school. *nd

he did not think a universit% education would have helpedhi ver% uch. Reading had never #een i portant to hi .He preferred learning fro e4perience.

$ut he was pleased with the %ounger an. $owen wasalwa%s a fast worker& and now he had an e4tra interest in thecase. The sooner the% finished it& the sooner he could tr% hisluck with ,inda )cott. Eliot hoped his feelings for her wouldnot affect his 'udge ent. " ell& we"d #etter go and see hilip

ilver&" said Eliot. ",et"s hope he"s at ho e."

"+ost people are on )unda% orning&" said $owen."E4cept police en." ep%s Road was a #eautiful street ver%

near Eliot"s own house. The houses were large& with #igroo s and high ceilings. +an% had #een separated into flatsut u #er 8? was still a single house. Eliot had so eti eslooked in through the lighted windows on winter evenings. Italwa%s looked inviting with its #eautiful fireplace and thelarge irror on the wall a#ove it.

Eliot was sad to see the roses in the front garden wereturning #rown& pro#a#l% #ecause of last night"s cold weather&


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he thought. The% would soon #e dead. He knew he wouldfind the sa e in his own garden& when he had ti e to look.

$owen rang the door#ell while Eliot looked throughthe window& #lowing on his hands to keep the war . *

an and a %oung #o% were sitting together on a sofa. The%were looking at a picture #ook. Eliot was disappointed to seethat no1one had lit the fire. The door was opened #% a talldark1haired wo an with a cigarette in her hand. )he lookedpale and stressed. )he stared at the for a few secondswithout speaking. It was as if she didn"t see the . "-es/" shesaid eventuall%.

" e"d like to speak to hilip ilver&" said Eliot after hehad introduced the . "Is he at ho e/"

)he went inside and called& " hilip< It"s the police."

* few seconds later& the an fro the sofa appeared.He was tall and good1looking with short dark hair andglasses. He looked nervous& like his wife& #ut see ed orein control. The %oung #o% was with hi & holding on to hisleg and staring at the police en with wide e%es. Eliotthought he ust #e a#out five %ears old.

"I" hilip ilver&" said the an. "I" sorr% % wifekept %ou waiting outside. lease co e in."

The% went into the roo Eliot had seen fro theoutside. It was surprisingl% untid%.

apers and aga2ines la% on the floor ne4t tounwashed cups and ashtra%s full of cigarette ends. $ut thisdid not hide the fact that it was a #eautiful roo .


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"I" sorr% a#out the ess&" said ilver. ")o e friendsca e over %esterda% orning and gave us so e terri#lenews. * friend of ours has died suddenl%."

He looked at the sadl%.

"I suppose that"s wh% %ou"ve co e&" he said."I" afraid so& sir&" said Eliot.

ilver put his hand on the #o%"s shoulder.

"9o and find %our other& )a &" he said. ")he"s in the

#ack roo ."The child got up slowl% and went out. He did not sa% a

word.

"He"s ver% unhapp% a#out *le4&" said his father. "*le4was ver% good with kids. )a reall% loved hi . Have %oufound out what happened to hi & Inspector/"

" ot %et& sir&" said Eliot. "$ut we"re hoping %ou a% #ea#le to help us. e understand %ou knew hi =uite well.-ou were also his doctor& weren"t %ou/"

"5nl% for a few onths& Inspector&" said ilver. "I knewhi #etter as a friend."

" e"ve heard he was ill&" said Eliot. "Is this true/"

" ot reall%&" replied ilver. "Though for a ti e hethought he was. He"d #een having a lot of headaches andthought the% ight #e serious. $ut I knew the% weren"t. Heeven persuaded e to arrange so e tests at 9u%"s Hospital.* co plete waste of one%. $ut that was all I could do tostop hi worr%ing."


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" hen are %ou e4pecting the results/" asked Eliot.

"5h& the% arrived this week. 5f course the% showednothing. He pro#a#l% 'ust needed a new pair of glasses."

He turned awa% again. " oor *le4&" he said.


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Chapter twelve$ne kind of #arriage

o1one spoke for a few seconds. ro the ne4t roothe% could hear ilver"s wife talking to the child. )hesounded angr%. The #o% did not see to #e sa%ing an%thing."E4cuse e& Inspector&" said ilver. "I"d #etter get )a . ,isa"sfinding hi rather difficult at the o ent. )he"s #een #adl%affected #% *le4"s death. e all have." He went out for a

o ent& and reappeared carr%ing his son. The #o% was

cr%ing& his head pressed against his father"s shoulder."It"s all right& )a &" said ilver gentl%. "+u %"s 'ust a

#it #us% at the o ent."

")he"s alwa%s #us%&" )a said. ")he never pla%s withe."

"I"ll take %ou to the park soon&" said his father. " e"llhave a ga e of foot#all. $ut I ust speak to these peoplefirst. 9o upstairs and get read%& )a . I think I saw thefoot#all in %our #edroo this orning." The #o% stoppedcr%ing and went to the door.

" e"ll #e as =uick as we can& sir&" said Eliot. " ow& howlong had %ou known +r orle%/"


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")ince universit%&" said ilver. " e et on our first da%and found we had a lot in co on. $oth of us had a parentwho died when we were ver% %oung. It see ed to #ring ustogether. *nd when I et ,isa& she liked hi too. That was

ver% i portant. *re %ou arried& Inspector/" Eliot said hewas.

")o %ou"ll understand what it"s like&" ilver continued.

"*le4 ca e fro a rich fa il%& like ,isa& and that wasi portant to her. )he didn"t see to like % other friends&

and eventuall% I stopped seeing the . ,isa was ver%unhapp% when I started % edical studies. I had to work ver% hard& and she didn"t see uch of e. I couldn"t e4pecther to spend ti e with people she didn"t like. -ou know howit is& Inspector."

"5f course&" said Eliot. $ut reall% he did not understandthat kind of relationship. )all% and he had alwa%s acceptedeach other"s friends. "*nd when did %ou last see +r orle%/"he asked.

" rida%&" said ilver. " hen I phoned to give hi histest results& he asked e to co e round the ne4t da%. He said

he wanted % advice a#out so ething. )o I went to hishouse at a#out twelve o"clock. $ut when I got there& he"dchanged his ind. He said it wasn"t i portant an% ore&though he see ed a #it worried a#out so ething. I onl%sta%ed for a =uick cup of coffee. Then I went #ack to thesurger% for % lunchti e eeting."

"Do %ou re e #er what ti e %ou left& sir/" asked$owen.


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"*round twent% past twelve&" said ilver. "$ut Icouldn"t help worr%ing a#out hi after that. I phoned later toask hi to lunch toda%& #ut he wasn"t there. I left a essageon his answerphone. I e4pect %ou"ve heard it." His face

changed." as he alread% dead #% then& Inspector/" he asked.

"I" afraid we don"t %et know&" Eliot replied. "Dr ilver&was +r orle% drinking wine when %ou were there/"

" ine/" asked ilver. " o. *le4 didn"t drink ver%

uch. *nd he certainl% never drank #% hi self.""Thank %ou& sir&" said Eliot. " ow& there"s 'ust one ore

thing I"d like to ask. hat kind of person was +r orle%/"

ilver looked at hi for a o ent.

"It"s difficult to descri#e so eone %ou know well&" hesaid. "$ut I"ll tr%. He was eas% to talk to. -ou could tell hian%thing& and he"d alwa%s sa% the right thing. He was oftenserious& #ut he could #e ver% funn%& too. I" going to isshi a lot."

"*nd would %ou sa% he was a weak an& sir/" asked

Eliot& re e #ering what Catherine Crowther had said.The doctor did not answer i ediatel%. He looked at

the fireplace and see ed deep in thought for a o ent.

" o ore than the rest of us& Inspector&" he said at last.

He suddenl% ade hi self s ile as )a ca e into theroo & holding a foot#all. The #o% looked at Eliot and satdown on the carpet.


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(ust #efore the% left& Eliot asked& "$% the wa%& sir. Can%ou think of an%one who ight have wanted to hurt +r

orle%/"

" o&" said ilver. "Ever%one loved *le4."

He closed the front door. Through the window& Eliotsaw )a sitting on the floor& patientl% waiting for his father.He could not re e #er +ick% ever sitting so still at thatage. or a o ent he felt worried a#out the child. hatkind of fa il% life did he have/

" hat did %ou think of hi /" asked Eliot as soon asthe% were in the car.

" ell& he o#viousl% loves his son&" said $owen. "$ut Iwouldn"t like to #e in his shoes. ot with a wife like that.)he"s good1looking enough& #ut she o#viousl% rules his life.

*nd she doesn"t see to have uch ti e for the kid.""$ut he ust #e stronger than he looks&" Eliot said. "His

wife couldn"t stop hi #eco ing a doctor. *nd it can"t #eeas% #eing arried while %ou"re training. 5f course& %ou cansee wh% she wouldn"t like it. ot 'ust for the long hours.)he"s too interested in one%& and new doctors don"t earnver% uch." He looked at $owen for a o ent.

"This should #e a lesson for %ou&" he said. "$e carefulwith the wo en %ou choose. *nd if the% don"t ake %ouhapp%& get rid of the ."

$owen looked e #arrassed& and Eliot changed thesu#'ect.


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" orle% was certainl% popular&" he said. "*nd not onl%with wo en. $ut I"d love to know what ilver was thinkinga#out when I asked if he was weak."

"-es&" said $owen. "He"s hiding so ething fro us too."

" ell& at least we now know it was ilver who visitedorle% on rida%&" said Eliot. "*nd we know that orle%

wasn"t reall% ill. That takes awa% one possi#le reason for suicide. )o what else was he worried a#out/"

"*nd wh% was he drinking if he never drank alone/"

$owen asked. "+a%#e so eone ca e to see hi after ilver had left. )o eone who was going to sell hi so ething&perhaps. That could #e wh% he had all that one% in thehouse. +a%#e that person urdered hi & and then washedthe second wine glass."

"It"s possi#le&" said Eliot. "$ut who wanted to urder hi / Ever%one see ed to like hi so uch. e"ll have totalk to the neigh#ours again and see if an%one saw an%thing.Can %ou arrange that/ *nd %ou"d #etter take * anda 9rantto look at his house. It didn"t look as if an%thing was

issing& #ut we ought to #e sure. I"ve got a feeling that this

case isn"t going to #e as eas% as I thought at first.


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Chapter thirteenHo#e at last

Eliot sat at his co puter and looked at a report he hadstarted on rida%. $ut =uestions a#out the orle% case filledhis ind& and he could not push the awa%. h% were theCrowthers not telling hi the truth/ Had Catherine Crowther #een having an affair with orle%/ hat had ade her suddenl% change her st%le of painting/ *nd did an%one visit

orle% after ilver had left on rida%/ Catherine Crowther

would not have seen if the% had arrived after one o"clock andgone out through the #ack gate. *nd what had orle% #eenso worried a#out/

Eliot ade a great effort to work. He had three other reports to write& and the% should all have #een finished da%sago. $ut he could not stop thinking a#out the case. $% theti e he went ho e& he had hardl% written an%thing.

"Dad


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" either could I&" said Eliot. He gave the #oth a kiss.)all% had alread% started the evening eal. Eliot rarel%cooked& e4cept for )unda% lunch and on ednesda%s when)all% worked late. )he taught part1ti e at ,ewisha

College. Her classes were usuall% over in ti e to pick up+ick% fro school at 3.30& and on other da%s her sister took care of hi .

*s soon as he sat down at the kitchen ta#le& he rela4ed.orle%"s death was a pro#le which interested hi & #ut did

not worr% hi an% ore. orle% had had no children or fa il% of his own. 5f course& his friends would iss hi ut the% had their own lives. *nd * anda 9rant was strongenough to start again. It was not Eliot"s #usiness if theCrowthers and the ilvers had pro#le s with their

arriages. He hoped the pathologist would sa% it was

suicide& and that would #e the end of it.$ut Eliot"s feelings told hi it was ore co plicated

than suicide. *nd after eighteen %ears with the police& hetrusted his feelings. He knew that two people were l%ing&and a%#e ore. hat were the% tr%ing to protect/

)till& it could all wait until to orrow. ow it was ti efor hi to listen to +ick%. He s iled as his son #egan to tellhi a#out last night"s firework show.


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Chapter fourteenBut was it #urder%

Eliot usuall% found +onda% ornings especiall%unpleasant when he had #een working all weekend. $ur toda% he woke up in a good ood& which continued until hegot to the police station.

5nce again& $owen had arrived #efore hi . He said hehad alread% #een there for half an hour.

" hat"s happened to %ou/" asked Eliot. ",ast week %oucould hardl% get here on ti e. It ust #e love."

$owen wished Eliot would stop entioning his privatelife.

"I" 'ust interested in the case&" $owen answeredunco forta#l%. "*nd there"ll #e a lot to do toda%. $% the wa%&* anda 9rant couldn"t find an%thing issing fro orle%"shouse."

"*s I e4pected&" said Eliot. "Have we got an% of thereports %et/"

"-es& sir. The pathologist"s has 'ust arrived&" answered$owen. "It see s the% start work earl% there. *nd we"ve gota report on the gun. It"s an ar % gun fro the )econd orld


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out who"s got an ali#i for that ti e& $owen. *nd we"ll haveto get fingerprints. e"ll need to see if an% of the atch theones we found in orle%"s house."

"-es& sir&" said $owen. "*nd orle% see s to have drunk

=uite a lot. +uch ore than one glass of wine."")o a%#e %ou were right& $owen&" said Eliot. "+a%#e

orle% did invite so eone to lunch that da%. hat did theneigh#ours sa%/"

" othing i portant. o1one saw an%thing."

"5r a%#e orle% drank to ake it easier to killhi self&" continued Eliot thoughtfull%. "Ever%one keepssa%ing he was worried a#out so ething. Have %ou foundan%thing useful in his diar%/"

" ot %et&" said $owen. "It"s slow work. It"s a long ti e

since I read an% ,atin or 9reek. $ut I"ll keep tr%ing."Eliot sat down at his desk. -esterda%"s work stared up

at hi . He hoped he would #e a#le to finish all his reports#efore $owen got #ack. He sighed. Detectives had to do alot of writing these da%s. The 'o# had not alwa%s #een likethis.

Eliot worked through the lunch hour& and he anagedto finish the last report 'ust after half past two. He put hiscoat on& and went across the road to The !ueen"s Head. The#ar an started pouring hi a #eer as soon as he walkedthrough the door.

The pu# was e pt% now e4cept for a nois% group of students at one end of the #ar. The% had all finished their drinks #ut the% did not see to #e in an% hurr% to leave.


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Eliot sat down #% the window& as far awa% as possi#le.The #eer tasted good. He opened his newspaper and turnedto the sports page. He decided to give hi self half an hour"s#reak. He had certainl% earned it after all that writing.

$ut he had onl% 'ust started the report on )aturda%"sest Ha atch when $owen walked through the door.

Eliot sighed. $ut the news $owen gave hi took allthoughts of foot#all fro his ind.


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Chapter fifteen&nco"ering lies

")orr%& sir&" said $owen. "$ut I thought %ou"d want tohear this as soon as possi#le. It see s that orle% had acleaning lad%& a +rs $rook. )he went to his house this

orning& and got angr% when the% wouldn"t let her in.+onda%s and Thursda%s were the da%s she worked for hi .*nd she worked for the Crowthers on ednesda%s.

"*n%wa%& she"s given us so e ver% interesting

infor ation. It see s that orle% went to see CatherineCrowther on ednesda% afternoon& when Ronald was out."

"That is interesting&" said Eliot. "+rs Crowther told usshe hadn"t seen hi for a week.

hat did +rs $rook sa% a#out the visit/"

"*pparentl%& orle% was there for a#out an hour&"$owen replied. "The sitting roo door was closed& so shecouldn"t hear an%thing. $ut when the% ca e out& +rsCrowther was as white as a sheet& and orle% looked ver%unco forta#le."

"I wonder what Catherine Crowther will have to sa%a#out that&" said Eliot.


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"$ut that"s not all& sir&" continued $owen. "+rs $rook said that Crowther had an old gun.

*pparentl%& it had #elonged to his father. )he ca e intothe roo once when he was cleaning it. He =uickl% put it

#ack into a drawer in his desk& #ut not #efore she had seen it.)he said she could never go into the sitting roo againwithout wondering if it was still there."

"He kept it in a desk/" said Eliot. "That was stupid. *ndI don"t suppose he had a licence for it. ell& that gives us

so ething to think a#out. hat a#out the fingerprints/ Have%ou had an% luck with the /"

" ell& sir&" said $owen. "There were four sets of freshfingerprints found in the house #esides orle%"s."

")o& all we have to do is find out whose fingerprints

the% are. 5ur suspects are the Crowthers& the ilvers&* anda 9rant and +rs $rook. Can we #e sure a#out whatan% of the were doing on rida% afternoon/"

" ell& we know +rs $rook spent the da% with her sister. *nd ilver was in the surger% fro twelve fort%1fiveto si4 o"clock&" said $owen. "He had two eetings& and thenhe saw patients. He didn"t have a free o ent. *nd his wifewas having lunch with a friend in 9reenwich. )he left atthree1fifteen to pick up her son fro school."

" hat a#out the other three/" asked Eliot.

" e haven"t #een a#le to check their stories&" said$owen.


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"Catherine Crowther was alone at ho e. Ronald wasout walking& #ut he doesn"t re e #er seeing an%#od%. *nd* anda 9rant went straight to her house when she got #ack.

"$ut there"s so ething else& sir&" he continued. "A looked

at a few ore pages of orle%"s diar% while A was waiting atthe surger%& and I found so ething ver% interesting. It see s*le4 orle% wasn"t the golden #o% ever%#od% thinks he was.He was having a secret love affair."

" ith Catherine Crowther/" asked Eliot.

"I" afraid I can"t tell %ou that&" said $owen. "Hechanged ever%one"s na es."

" ell& A think we"d #etter go and have a look atRonald"s gun& don"t %ou/" said Eliot. He stood up& leaving his#eer half drunk. The students were still sitting at the other

end of the #ar. The% would pro#a#l% sta% all afternoon if the#ar an let the . It was uch war er in the pu# than in theroo s which the% rented.

Eliot felt so e e4cite ent as he rang the Crowthers"#ell. The pieces see ed to #e co ing together. ith an%luck the case would #e over #% the evening. $ut neither of the Crowthers were at ho e.

"I suppose he"s gone for his usual walk&" said Eliot. "$utI wonder where she can #e. I thought she"d #e painting in her roo ."

He looked up at the window. as it his i agination& or did he see so eone oving =uickl% awa% fro the window/He rang the #ell again& this ti e for at least five seconds. $utagain there was no repl%.


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",et"s wait in that pu# where we went on )aturda%&" hesaid. "*t least it"s war in there& and I can have the secondhalf of % lunch."

Toda% the pu# was uch less crowded& and the% easil%

found a seat. Eliot looked outside& and at first forgot that)aturda% had #een 9u% awkes ight. There was no fenceand there were no fireworks. eople were walking a#out asusual& and the onl% sign of the #onfire was a dark shape onthe ground.

)uddenl%& he saw a tall an in a dark coat on the other side of the grass. Eliot thought he recognised hi .

"I think that"s Ronald Crowther&" he said. "Don"t %ou&$owen/"

$ut the #ar an& who was #ringing Eliot a sandwich&

answered instead."-es& that"s +r Crowther& sir&" he said. "He"s alwa%s here

at this ti e& in rain or sunshine.

He co es at three o"clock and goes at four. Regular asa clock. +ost people would find it #oring walking up anddown the sa e piece of grass& never talking to an%one. $ur he doesn"t see to ind. eople are strange."

"I don"t suppose %ou noticed hi here on rida%&" saidEliot.

" rida%/" the #ar an said. "5f course I did. I see hiever% da%. *t first I thought he was late& #ut it was % watchthat was fast. ,ike I said& %ou can tell the ti e fro hisco ing and going."


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*s Eliot finished his sandwich& he saw Crowther turn#ack to his house. He checked his watch. E4actl% four o"clock. The #ar an had #een telling the truth. )o Crowther had #een out for a walk when orle% died.

$ut the police en followed hi #ack to his housean%wa%. Ronald Crowther could not #e the urderer& #ut heand his wife still had a lot of =uestions to answer.


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Chapter si4teenJealousy

Eliot did not return the Crowthers" s iles when the%opened the door. He knew the% were not at all pleased to seehi . Their politeness and gentleness were 'ust a cover. The%had #een pla%ing ga es with hi fro the #eginning.

ithout an% introduction& he asked if Crowther had agun. The an"s face went white& and his wife sat down=uickl%& as if her legs had lost all their strength.

"*nd I"d like the truth this ti e&" said Eliot. " e"vewasted enough ti e alread%."

"-es& Inspector&" said Crowther. "I"ve had a gun for %ears. It #elonged to % father. He kept it to re e #er thewar& and he also kept one #ullet. hen he died& I kept it to

re e #er hi . I suppose that was a stupid thing to do.""It was a cri e if %ou had no licence for it&" said Eliot.

"+a% I see it& please/"

Ronald Crowther covered his face with his hands.

"I haven"t got it& Inspector. *le4 took it a#out threeweeks ago. e were having friends to dinner& and so eonestarted discussing the war. I"d drunk rather a lot& and stupidl%


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told the a#out it. *le4 loved old things& and of course hewanted to see it.

"Then he said it ight #e worth a lot of one%. Heasked if he could #orrow it to have it valued. I couldn"t see

an% har in it& so I gave it to hi . I told hi there was a#ullet inside& #ut he wasn"t worried. He said he knew how touse guns. He"d #een taught at school."

Eliot could feel his anger rising inside hi . hat kindof world did these people think the% were living in/ Did the%

think the% were a#ove the law/ "*nd who else was at thisdinner part%/" asked Eliot.

$ut he felt he knew the answer #efore it ca e. TheCrowthers& the ilvers and * anda 9rant& the tight littlecircle that had surrounded orle% until he died. " h% didn"t%ou tell us this #efore/" he asked.

Ronald Crowther said he wished he had. $ut then hehad suddenl% realised that keeping a gun was against thelaw. He and his wife had decided that the #est thing to dowas to keep =uiet.

"+r Crowther& we"ll have to ask %ou to co e to thepolice station i ediatel%&" said Eliot. " e need to know if itwas %our gun which killed +r orle%."

The Crowthers looked at each other. The% see edfrightened.

"*nd +rs Crowther& could %ou tell us when %ou lastsaw +r orle%/" Eliot asked.

)he lifted her green e%es to his.


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"*s I told %ou& Inspector&" she answered& "it was a week ago on rida%."

"Could %ou think ver% carefull% a#out that/" said Eliot."I don"t need to&" she said. "I re e #er ver% well."

"+rs Crowther&" said Eliot. "I"ll have to ask %ou to co eto the station with us too. e need to =uestion %ou againa#out the death of *le4 orle%."

"+e/" she said. "-ou want to =uestion e/ $ut Ithought. . ."

)he stopped suddenl%. Ronald Crowther had closed hise%es. He looked like a an in the iddle of a #ad drea .

Eliot told $owen not to leave the couple alonetogether. He did not want to give the a chance to think of another stor%.

*t the police station& the% were taken to separateroo s. The% #oth nodded when Eliot showed the the gun.

Ronald Crowther was looking tired and uch older than when Eliot had first seen hi & and his wife suddenl%see ed iddle1aged. Eliot decided to =uestion her first. " e

have spoken to so eone who sa%s +r orle% visited %ou lastednesda% afternoon&" he said.

"Have %ou/ I suppose it was +rs $rook&" she answeredafter a short silence. "I forgot all a#out her."

erhaps people like +rs $rook were not i portant

enough for her to re e #er. Eliot wondered again what sortof person *le4 orle% had #een. How could a an #e soclose to two such different wo en as Catherine Crowther


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and * anda 9rant/ "-es& it"s true&" Catherine Crowther continued. "*le4 did co e to see e then. e discussedso ething ver% private. *le4 even asked e not to tellRonald a#out it."

" othing is private after a violent death&" said Elioti patientl%. "*s %ou should know ver% well."

)he was silent for a long ti e.

" ell& *le4 had #een having a secret relationship&" shesaid at last. "I suppose %ou"d call it an affair& though he was

ver% unhapp% a#out it. It started one evening after a part%&when * anda was awa% and he was feeling lonel% andunhapp%. 5f course& he i ediatel% wished it hadn"thappened. $ut the wo an said she was in love with hi &and he didn"t know how to end it without hurting her. )hewas the wife of a friend of his. That"s what ade it so awful.*nd that"s wh% I didn"t tell %ou #efore."

" ho was she/" asked Eliot.

",isa ilver&" said Catherine Crowther& looking angr%."+rs Crowther& were %ou in love with +r orle%/" askedEliot. )he looked at Eliot for a o ent.

" erhaps I was&" she answered. " e were so close& #utnothing ever happened& Inspector. I would never do an%thingto hurt Ronald. He has #een so good to e."

"*nd how did %ou feel when %ou heard a#out thisaffair/"

"7er% angr%. -ou"ve seen % latest painting& Inspector.


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$ut it wasn"t 'ust 'ealous%. I thought *le4 was sostupid. ,isa"s not a ver% nice pe

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