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“That’s your prerogative,” said Winsome. “But you have to understand that our job can be difficult at times, insensitive, even. I really am sorry for your loss, Dr. Aspern, but I still have questions to ask.”
“Look, I’ve told you what I was doing. What more do you want?”
“What clothes were you wearing?”
“Come again?”
“You seem a bit hard of hearing this morning, sir. I asked what clothes you were wearing last night.”
“I don’t see how that’s relevant to anything.”
“If you’d just tell me. Or, better still, fetch them for me.”
Aspern narrowed his eyes, then stomped out of the room. A few moments later he returned and flung a dark-blue cotton shirt and a pair of black casual trousers over the arm of the chair beside her. “Unless you want my underwear, too?” he said.
“That won’t be necessary,” said Winsome. She knew it was a farce, that he could have given her any old clothes and said he’d worn them last night, or that he could have washed and dried them in the meantime, but that wasn’t the point of the exercise. The point was to shake him up, and in that she thought she was succeeding remarkably well. “What about your jacket and overcoat?” she asked.
“What jacket and overcoat? I told you we stopped at home last night. Why would I need a jacket and overcoat?”
“Of course, sir. My mistake.” Winsome stood. “Mind if I take these?”
“Take them where? What for?”
“For forensic testing.”
“And what do you hope to find?”
“I don’t hope to find anything, sir. It’ll just help us eliminate you from our inquiries.”
“I love the language you people use. ‘Eliminate you from our inquiries.’ Talk about bureaucratese.”
“That’s a very good word for it, sir. Sometimes it does sound a bit overly formal, doesn’t it? Anyway, if you could lay your hands on some sort of a bag… Plastic would be best. Bin liner, or something like that.”
Aspern went into the kitchen and found her a white plastic kitchen bag.
“Thanks. That’ll do just fine,” Winsome said.
“Eliminate me from what inquiries?” Aspern asked.
“What do you mean, sir?”
Aspern sighed. “You said earlier that this would help eliminate me from your inquiries. I’m asking exactly what inquiries you’re talking about.”
“I’m surprised you haven’t heard,” she said. “It’s been all over the news. There was another fire last night, remarkably similar to the one in which your stepdaughter died, and not too far away.”
“And I’m a suspect?”
“I didn’t say that, sir, but we’d look pretty unprofessional if we didn’t cover every possibility, wouldn’t we?”
“I don’t care what you’d look like; this is discrimination, pure and simple.”
“Against what group? Doctors, for a change?”
“Now, look here, you fucking-”
Winsome raised a finger to her lips. “Don’t say it, Doc,” she said. “You know it’ll only get you into trouble in these politically correct times.”
Aspern ran his hand over his hair and regained his composure, and his arrogant air. “Right,” he said, nodding. “Right. Of course. I apologize.” He spread his hands. “Take whatever you like.”
“That’s all right, sir,” she said, lifting the bag of clothes. “This is all I need. I’ll be on my way now.”
“I’m sorry you’ve had such a wasted journey. It’s a long way to come for so little.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t call it wasted,” said Winsome. “Not at all.”
She felt absurdly pleased with herself as she walked down the path to her car. Curtains twitched again and Winsome smiled to herself as she hefted the bag onto the seat beside her and drove off.
A
“Who is it, Alice?” a voice from inside the house called. “If it’s those bloody Jehovah’s Witnesses again, tell them to bugger off!”
A
A man came out of the room on the left of the hall, a curious expression on his face. A
“What do you want?” he asked. “If it’s about that speeding ticket, then-”
“It’s your wife I want to see, sir,” said A
“I can’t imagine why,” said Alice, “but let’s talk in the conservatory. I know the weather’s not very good, but it’s a nice view, and we’ve got an electric heater.”
“That’ll be fine,” said A
They settled in the conservatory, which was warm enough and did indeed have a magnificent view looking west into Swainsdale, the distant hills shrouded in light mist. Alice Mowbray sat down on a wicker chair and tugged her skirt over her plump knees. The skirt was at least two inches too short for someone with her thighs, A
“What is it, then?” Alice Mowbray asked.
“I’m afraid I’ve got some rather bad news for you,” she said.
Alice put her hand to her necklace. “Oh?”
“It’s about your ex-husband. I don’t know if you’ve seen or heard any news this morning…?”
“Only the Sunday papers,” Alice said.
A
“Oh, no,” said Alice. “Is Roland hurt?”
“There was one person in the caravan at the time. As yet, we can’t be certain if he was Mr. Gardiner, but I’m afraid that person is dead, whoever he is.”
“I don’t believe it. Not Roland.”
“I’m sorry, Mrs. Mowbray, but it’s true. If it is him. Are you all right?”
Alice had turned pale, but she nodded. “Yes, I’ll be fine.” She looked at her husband. “Darling, can you fetch me a glass of water, please?”
Eric didn’t look too happy at being asked to fetch and carry in front of another woman, but there wasn’t much he could do about it without looking a complete arsehole, except his wife’s bidding.
“I’m sorry to spring such a shock on you like this,” A
“Of course. I understand. We’ve been apart for over two years now, but it’s not as if I don’t… well, still have some feelings for Roland. Was he… you know…?”
A