Chapter 7 #2
“Oh yes. It seemed obvious at first, because of the door being locked, then I realised she might for some reason have locked it behind her and put the key in her pocket, then stepped back from the door and took dizzy as she started down those steep, narrow stairs. She’d likely have fallen on her face, though.
Besides, the doctor checked her pockets and there’s no keys at all. ”
“You’re quicker than I was. I didn’t think of the pocket possibility until just now, when I was describing her clothes to you. It’s a bit odd that she was on her back, whichever direction she was going in.”
“My guess is, when she lost her balance she twisted to make a grab for the rail attached to the wall, and missed it.”
“I missed it, too,” Alec said ruefully. “Missed seeing it, that is. My attention was all in the opposite direction and in trying not to breathe. Was the doctor able to say how long ago she died?”
Underwood grimaced. “Very vague, given the unusual conditions: cool, dry, no flies. At a guess, two to four weeks. The local sergeant says the ladies moved in about a fortnight ago.”
“At the beginning of October.”
“Just so. Lots of coming and going and general confusion that someone took advantage of. The victim was, you might say, a moving target.”
“Ouch!”
“Sorry, sir. Bad pun.”
“An excellent pun.”
Underwood looked gratified. “I have a go at The Observer crossword every week. Puns are the least of Torquemada’s tricks. But wouldn’t you agree, about the coming and going?”
“The change of residents would account for the long delay before the finding of the corpse, but whether that was planned or was a lucky happenstance for the killer remains to be seen. No reports of local people missing?”
“None. The first thing we have to do, of course, is identify the victim.” He hesitated. “According to Sergeant Harris, rumour had it that the previous owner of Cherry Trees, Mrs. Gray, was going abroad. I can’t help wondering whether she ever arrived.”
“Supposing it’s her body, then you’ll know she didn’t. I don’t know how long she lived here, but you should be able to find someone who’d recognise her.”
“Once she’s been cleaned up a bit, maybe. She’s a mess, though. I don’t like to ask a woman to do it. I suppose the ladies who bought the house would have met her?”
“You’ll have to ask them,” Alec said firmly.
“All right.” Underwood sounded quite cheerful. “Just finding out where the boundaries are. A couple more questions for you, sir. You couldn’t see the second shoe under the landing. Fair enough. Was there anything else down there that you noticed?”
Alec frowned in thought. “A hat. An ordinary sort of cloche hat, as far as I could see, lying not far from her head.”
“That’s all?”
“I’m pretty sure, though I had only a small torch and didn’t linger, remember.”
“No handbag, for instance?”
“Not that I saw.”
“Gloves?”
“She certainly wasn’t wearing gloves.”
“Rings?”
“Her hands were grossly swollen, and they lay palm up. Chances are I wouldn’t have been able to see the shanks of wedding and engagement rings, or even a large gemstone, if any.”
“You didn’t go down the stairs?”
“No. She was so obviously beyond needing help. Was there a handbag?”
Underwood shook his head.
“A hat and no handbag,” Alec commented. “It’s odd.”
“Maybe it’ll turn up somewhere in the house.”
“Perhaps one of the ladies found it and put it aside to be kept till called for.”
“Possible,” the inspector allowed grudgingly.
“You see, you’ve already given me an idea or two.
I don’t suppose you’d care to sit in on my interviews—some of them, at least—on an informal basis?
Not taking part, of course, but passing on any hints afterwards: questions I should have asked, inconsistencies I missed, that sort of thing.
No, you won’t want to spoil your holiday with your lady wife. ”
“My ‘holiday’ ends at nine tomorrow morning.”
“You’re going back to London?”
“Duty calls.”
“And Mrs. Fletcher?”
“She’s thinking of staying on a few days.”
“It’s only half an hour by train. You could come back evenings. I’ll be working day and night till I’ve got my man. Or woman.”
“I may well be working day and night, if a big case comes up. And not necessarily in town. I could be sent anywhere in the country.”
“I daresay I’d have to ask officially for your help.” Underwood sighed. “I’d rather try to tackle it myself.”
“While unofficially picking my brains,” Alec said dryly.
“While learning from an expert. What if there isn’t any important case waiting for you at the Yard? I’m sure Mrs. Fletcher would appreciate you rejoining her, and being here anyway, surely you’ll want to help me exonerate her friends.”
“Or incriminate them?”
“I’d be less likely to make a mistake that’d fix the blame on an innocent person if I had your advice.”
“My super would blow a fuse! Oh well, I can’t withold from him that I’m a star witness in a murder case, so he’s going to blow a fuse anyway. I’ll put it to him. And you must ask your super’s consent. He may be less convinced of my innocence than you appear to be.”
“I’ll tell him it’s the best way to keep an eye on you,” the inspector said slyly, “which is no more nor less than the truth.”