Dead Water by Ngaio Marsh Page B

fretted by the minor role for which he seemed to be cast. ‘Speak your mind, Alfred. Go ahead.’
    ‘So I will, then. Now. As regards the stone-throwing and the trip-wire incidents. Inquiries have been put in hand. So far, from information received, I have nothing to report. As regards this latest incident: in the ordinary course of events, it having been reported to the police, routine inquiries would be undertaken. That would be the normal procedure.’
    ‘It has been reported,’ said Miss Emily. ‘And I have invited you to proceed.’
    ‘The method, if you will pardon me, Miss Pride, has not been normal. It is not usual to call a meeting on such an occasion.’
    ‘Evidently I have not made myself clear. I have called the meeting in order that the persons who could have effected an entry into this room by the means I have indicated, may be given an opportunity of clearing themselves.’
    This pronouncement had a marked but varied effect upon her audience. Patrick Ferrier’s eyebrows shot up and he glanced at Jennywho made a startled grimace. Mrs Barrimore leant forward in her chair and looked, apparently with fear, at her husband. He, in his turn, had become purple in the face. The Mayor’s habitual expression of astonishment was a caricature of itself. Dr Maine scrutinized Miss Emily as if she were a test case for something. The Rector ran his hands through his hair and said: ‘Oh, but surely!’
    Superintendent Coombe, with an air of abstraction, stared in front of him. He then produced his notebook and contemplated it as if he wondered where it had sprung from.
    ‘Now, just a minute!’ he said.
    ‘I must add,’ said Miss Emily, ‘that Miss Jenny Williams may at once be cleared. She very kindly called for me, assisted me downstairs and to my knowledge remained in the dining-room throughout luncheon, returning to my table to perform the same kind office. Do you wish to record this?’
    He opened his mouth, shut it again and actually made a note.
    ‘It will perhaps assist the inquiry if I add that Major Barrimore did not come into the dining-room at all, that Mrs Barrimore left it five minutes before I did and that Mr Patrick Ferrier was late in arriving there. They will no doubt wish to elaborate.’
    ‘By God!’ Major Barrimore burst out. ‘I’ll be damned if I do! By God, I’ll –’
    ‘No, Keith! Please!’ said his wife.
    ‘You shut up, Margaret.’
    ‘I suggest,’ Patrick said, ‘that on the whole it might be better if you did.’
    ‘Patrick!’ said the Rector. ‘No, old boy.’
    Superintendent Coombe came to a decision.
    ‘I’ll ask you all for your attention, if you please,’ he said, and was successful in getting it. ‘I don’t say this is the way I’d have dealt with the situation,’ he continued, ‘if it had been left to me. It hasn’t. Miss Pride has set about the affair in her own style and has put me in the position where I haven’t much choice but to take up the inquiry on her lines. I don’t say it’s a desirable way of going about the affair and I’d have been just as pleased if she’d have had a little chat with me first. She hasn’t and that’s that. I think it’ll be better for all concerned if we get the whole thing settled and done with by taking routine statements from everybody. I hope you’re agreeable.’
    Patrick said quickly: ‘Of course. Much the best way.’ He stood up. ‘I was late for lunch,’ he said, ‘because I was having a drink with George Pender in the bar. I went direct from the bar to the dining-room. I didn’t go near the office. What about you, Mama?’
    Mrs Barrimore twisted her fingers together and looked up at her son. She answered him as if it were a matter private to them both. ‘Do you mean, what did I do when I left the dining-room? Yes, I see. I – I went into the hall. There was a crowd of people from the bus. Some of them asked about – oh, the usual things. One of them seemed – very unwell – and I took her into