Miriam said uncomfortably. “Not being married myself, an’ so on…”
“Of course. Naturally,” said Roy. “Very well considered, if I may say so.”
She looked gratefully at him. “I think that’s about all I can tell you. Except for one more thing,” she added, as if she had been saving the best until last. They all looked hopefully at her. At this stage, not one of them had a constructive thought how they could begin to investigate.
“On Friday night, around about eleven o’clock, I heard footsteps outside in the lane. I looked out of my bedroom window, and I saw a man. Tallish, with a lot of hair. He was going up towards the woods. Probably nothing, but I thought it was a bit odd. Hangman’s Lane is usually deserted after dark.”
“This tallish man with lots of hair,” said Deirdre, suddenly very interested, “did you see his face?”
“Not really,” Miriam said. “It was too dark. But there was moonlight, and I could see what looked like a bright white shirt under a black coat. Made me think it might have been somebody who’d been at the ball.”
“Was he carrying anything?” Deirdre asked. “Like a musical instrument or similar.”
“He was carrying plastic bags—you know, like supermarket carriers. I couldn’t see all that well. The moon went behind a cloud, and as you know, we’ve got no streetlights in the lane.”
Ivy sighed. “Well, that might be of some help,” she said, and looked around the others. “Any more questions for Miriam? Or shall we arrange to meet again, when we have considered what steps to take?”
“I can be available more or less any time,” Miriam said.
“Not you, not yet,” said Ivy firmly. “We have work to do now. We’ll be in touch.”
“And thank you so much for coming along,” said Roy, with a friendly smile. “I’m sure we shall be able to clear things up for you in due course. Good morning, my dear.”
After Deirdre had shown her out and come back up to join the team, Ivy said that if anybody asked her, she would say they might as well give up before they started.
“Oh no,” said Deirdre. “I think we’ve something very interesting to investigate. Just listen, Ivy, while I tell you about a man I met at the ball.”
Thirteen
AFTER ROY AND Ivy had gone back to Springfields, Gus stayed behind with Deirdre, and they talked some more. “Do you think they really saw a hand, Gus?” Deirdre said. “I reckon they convinced themselves, like people do, after they’ve had a fright. It could have been anything, perhaps an old rubber glove that had been left behind at blackberry time. I always wear gloves when I go blackberrying. Saves having purple fingers.”
Gus thought for a moment, and then said, “That does seem quite likely, sweetie, which is why I asked about a ring on the finger.”
“That would have made all the difference,” Deirdre answered. “Given us something to get our teeth into.”
“Mm,” said Gus. “Even so, she was so sure about it being a human hand, and Rose Budd, too. And, knowing Miriam as I know her, it just isn’t in character for her to offer to pay fees for us to investigate, if she isn’t sure of herfacts. The puzzle, as far as I can see, is
why
she is so keen to find out. Most of us would just shrug and say it was easily explained and forget it. We’ve had at least two good explanations of what it could have been, a shadow or a rubber glove.”
“Did either of them touch it? I can’t remember Miriam mentioning it.”
“No, she didn’t, but I can ask her. She’s sure to be round to see me later on, with an offer of something tasty.”
“Well, I’m still not convinced. But I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and start working on the supposition that it was a murder and the body has been removed.”
“Meanwhile, I shall give some more thought as to why Miriam is so keen to pursue an investigation into something so unsupported by evidence.”
IVY AND ROY had come to much the same
“Of course. Naturally,” said Roy. “Very well considered, if I may say so.”
She looked gratefully at him. “I think that’s about all I can tell you. Except for one more thing,” she added, as if she had been saving the best until last. They all looked hopefully at her. At this stage, not one of them had a constructive thought how they could begin to investigate.
“On Friday night, around about eleven o’clock, I heard footsteps outside in the lane. I looked out of my bedroom window, and I saw a man. Tallish, with a lot of hair. He was going up towards the woods. Probably nothing, but I thought it was a bit odd. Hangman’s Lane is usually deserted after dark.”
“This tallish man with lots of hair,” said Deirdre, suddenly very interested, “did you see his face?”
“Not really,” Miriam said. “It was too dark. But there was moonlight, and I could see what looked like a bright white shirt under a black coat. Made me think it might have been somebody who’d been at the ball.”
“Was he carrying anything?” Deirdre asked. “Like a musical instrument or similar.”
“He was carrying plastic bags—you know, like supermarket carriers. I couldn’t see all that well. The moon went behind a cloud, and as you know, we’ve got no streetlights in the lane.”
Ivy sighed. “Well, that might be of some help,” she said, and looked around the others. “Any more questions for Miriam? Or shall we arrange to meet again, when we have considered what steps to take?”
“I can be available more or less any time,” Miriam said.
“Not you, not yet,” said Ivy firmly. “We have work to do now. We’ll be in touch.”
“And thank you so much for coming along,” said Roy, with a friendly smile. “I’m sure we shall be able to clear things up for you in due course. Good morning, my dear.”
After Deirdre had shown her out and come back up to join the team, Ivy said that if anybody asked her, she would say they might as well give up before they started.
“Oh no,” said Deirdre. “I think we’ve something very interesting to investigate. Just listen, Ivy, while I tell you about a man I met at the ball.”
Thirteen
AFTER ROY AND Ivy had gone back to Springfields, Gus stayed behind with Deirdre, and they talked some more. “Do you think they really saw a hand, Gus?” Deirdre said. “I reckon they convinced themselves, like people do, after they’ve had a fright. It could have been anything, perhaps an old rubber glove that had been left behind at blackberry time. I always wear gloves when I go blackberrying. Saves having purple fingers.”
Gus thought for a moment, and then said, “That does seem quite likely, sweetie, which is why I asked about a ring on the finger.”
“That would have made all the difference,” Deirdre answered. “Given us something to get our teeth into.”
“Mm,” said Gus. “Even so, she was so sure about it being a human hand, and Rose Budd, too. And, knowing Miriam as I know her, it just isn’t in character for her to offer to pay fees for us to investigate, if she isn’t sure of herfacts. The puzzle, as far as I can see, is
why
she is so keen to find out. Most of us would just shrug and say it was easily explained and forget it. We’ve had at least two good explanations of what it could have been, a shadow or a rubber glove.”
“Did either of them touch it? I can’t remember Miriam mentioning it.”
“No, she didn’t, but I can ask her. She’s sure to be round to see me later on, with an offer of something tasty.”
“Well, I’m still not convinced. But I’ll give her the benefit of the doubt and start working on the supposition that it was a murder and the body has been removed.”
“Meanwhile, I shall give some more thought as to why Miriam is so keen to pursue an investigation into something so unsupported by evidence.”
IVY AND ROY had come to much the same
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