The Riddle of the River by Catherine Shaw

‘Just – I must ask you another small favour. I hope you don’t mind.’
    She looked questioning, so I continued quickly.
    ‘It’s only this: if you mention me to Mrs Darwin, it would be best to call me by my maiden name. I – hum – for purposes of detection, I really
must
be taken for a single woman. And please, please do not be surprised if I behave a little strangely. My goal is to begin a friendship with Mr Archer.’
    She raised her eyebrows and said nothing, merely nodded in discreet acquiescence.
     
    So excited was I by the prospect of progress in this quarter, that the ringing of the doorbell, early this afternoon, sent me jumping out of my seat, wondering if Mrs Burke-Jones could have worked the miracle so quickly. But I was not surprised when upon throwing open the front door, I perceived Pat upon the step. A comically dejected, deprecating look painted itself upon his features as he saw me.
    ‘Failure,’ he said, sitting down at the dining room table and throwing his hat on it crossly. ‘It was easy to get at him, as I told you it would be. I interviewed him – standing on the doorstep, since he wouldn’t let me in – and took notes of everything he said. But I couldn’t get anything useful out of of him at all. Not one dashed thing, even though I tried using what you said about the girl possibly being an actress.’
    He pulled a couple of folded pages of notes from his pocket and slid them to me across the table with a rueful smile. I took them and read.

     
 
Notes of interview
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
  
I’m here from the
Cambridge Evening News,
sir, to ask you if you would be willing to be interviewed for our new series of articles called Arts and Society. Our goal is to raise public interest in artistic productions by presenting the opinions of important members of society on them.
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
Well, I’m afraid I don’t have much to say on the subject. I don’t get out much.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
Surely a gentleman of your standing has a busy social life, sir, if I may make so bold as to say so.
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
Well, I go out of an evening on occasion, but I prefer to dine with friends than to go to a show.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S: 
 
What are your feelings about paintings? Do you visit museums, or collect?
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
No, I’m afraid I don’t. I’m more interested in machines.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
(
Afraid the interview is about to be summarily ended
) Well, how about the theatre? Surely you go to see a play from time to time, sir?
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
Well, from time to time, I suppose I do.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
Can you tell me the title of the last play you saw?
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
Now, you’re not going to be pleased, young man, but I can’t. I really don’t remember.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
( Never discouraged
) How about artists, sir? Are you personally acquainted with any artists? That would do just as well for an article in the paper.
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
I don’t believe I know any artists, no.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
No painters? How about actors? Actresses? Ah (
afraid of being too explicit
) – singers? Musicians?
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
The problem is that although I’ve met such people on occasion, I really don’t have anything particular to say about them. Individually, they’re – why, they’re just individuals, some pleasant and others unpleasant, no different from anyone else. And as for their work, I really don’t have an opinion on such things.
 
 
 
 
 
 
P O’S:
 
Could you at least give me the names of some artists you are personally acquainted with?
 
 
 
 
 
 
G A:
 
I’d rather not, because I have a suspicion that you’d manage to make more newspaper copy out of what I’ve told you than it deserves. I’d prefer not to appear at all in your series of articles about Arts and Society. Come back when you start one on Technology and