Cell (2 page)

'Now,' she announced, 'let us get on with it. I told you
I was short of time.'

'I would have thought you'd be worried stiff about the
disappearance of your mistress. It is over three weeks since
she vanished without trace at Carpford.'

'The security forces are doing everything they can to solve
this mystery,' she snapped.

Her tone and manner were hostile. Paula decided she
didn't like Tweed. She leaned forward and smiled as
she spoke.

'Mrs Carson. A woman is more likely to give us the vital clue. Mr Tweed has told me - he knows her slightly — that
Linda Warner is an avid reader. Always takes a book with
her. Do you know what she was reading before she left?'

'Yes, I do. She was wading through Gibbon's
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire.
Kept it by her bedside. Always
took it with her when she was going somewhere - in case she had a few spare minutes.'

'Could I ask you to check whether the volume she was reading is now on her bedside table?'

'Yes, it is, with the marker in the page she had reached.'

'That suggests she anticipated a quick trip to Carpford, since she left the book behind. Would you agree?'

'Yes, I would.' Mrs Carson had relaxed, looking at Paula
and ignoring Tweed all the time. 'She expected to be back
in the evening.'

'Did she take any of her clothes with her?' Paula continued.

'No. Except for her sable. It is cold up at Carpford. I
checked myself, carefully. The idiots from Special Branch
never thought to ask that shrewd question.'

'Did she receive - or make - a phone-call before she
left?'

'No. Another question they missed. Really, it is quite a
relief to talk to someone who knows their job. Would you like something to drink? Tea? Coffee?'

'No, thank you. I've recently had breakfast. Did Mrs
Warner give you any indication why she was going to Carpford?'

'All she said to me before she rushed off was that she was
going on an urgent mission.'

'On behalf of her husband?'

'That I can't tell you, although I assume that was the
case. I do know Mr Warner was going to be back from the
Ministry late in the evening. Some big meeting.'

'You must be worried about what has happened to her.'

As she continued her interrogation Paula was smiling
all the time. Mrs Carson kept leaning towards her as she answered. Her original stiffness had disappeared.

'Miss Grey, I'm worried stiff. It is so unlike her. I did
try to phone Carpford late in the the afternoon but no
one answered the phone. I assumed she was on her
way back.'

'Was she a sociable lady?'

'When it was required. Attending dinners with her hus
band. One by one her friends left the area. Mostly
dip
lomats' wives who joined their husbands when they were
posted overseas.'

'And did she spend much time up at their place in
Carpford?'

'As little as possible. I gathered she didn't like the place.
She once called it strange, whatever that meant.'

'When she went there I imagine it was with her husband.
So she must have clothes up there.'

'No, she hasn't. She'd take what she needed and always
she brought it back with her. Every item.'

Paula stood up, after checking her watch. 'Mrs Carson,
you have been very generous with your time. We appreciate that. There is one delicate question which I don't expect you
to answer, but we have to eliminate every possibility. How
can I phrase this? Did she have any close men friends?'

'I'm a woman of the world. The Special Branch wretches
did ask about that - more brutally. The answer is no, she
did not. As her housekeeper I'm the one person who would
know. If you think of anything else please contact me.
You are the first person who has come here I feel will
find her.'

'Thank you. We'll leave you in peace now - as much
peace as is possible.'

'I didn't say one word,' Tweed commented as they got into their parked car. 'You did a wonderful job. I realized she
didn't like me. What do you make of it now?'

'I find it sinister.'

'Before we go back, call Buchanan on that irritating
mobile of yours. Tell him we are now ready to go with
him down to Carpford whenever it suits him. Ask him to
set up the scene they found - Linda Warner's car parked at a bend in the road.'

'What was Mrs Warner like? I never met her.'

'An exceptionally intelligent woman. Like her husband
very patriotic. I'm baffled. I wish you hadn't used that word
sinister.'

1

Arriving back at Park Crescent, they were surprised to see a black Saab parked outside the SIS entrance. Superinten
dent Buchanan was seated alone behind the wheel, tapping
his fingers. Seeing them coming, he held up his hand.
Tweed parked before driving into the Crescent. Buchanan
drove out, parked behind them, jumped out of his car.

'We can leave for Carpford now,' he informed Tweed
through his open window. 'After the lab people had checked
Mrs Warner's car I had it sent back and parked in a garage near Abinger Hammer. It has now been taken up and is on
the Downs, positioned in precisely the position it was found
empty when she went missing. I'll lead the way. Ready?'

'We'd better get on with it,' Tweed agreed. 'Lead on
Macduff
.'

It was February, late morning and very cold under a brilliant
blue sky as Buchanan headed on to the A3. Paula was
glad she had worn her warm blue overcoat and kept on
her gloves.

They were soon clear of the city traffic and racing down
the A3 with open country on both sides. Both
Buchanan
and Tweed were fast-moving drivers, keeping just inside the
speed limit. In less than an hour Buchanan was signalling
them to turn off the main road up a slip road.

At the top he turned left and they were deep in the
country. They sped up a steep hill, reached the top, plunged
down a curving road with panoramic views across high rolling hills. Paula asked Tweed where they were.

'Entering the first sweep of the North Downs. I know
this area. Carpford I've never seen, wouldn't know how to
get there.'

'What do you know about Victor Warner's background?'

'Reputed to be clever. Did a stint with Naval Intelligence,
joined Medfords Security as a director when he came into
civvy street. Spotted by the PM before the present one.
Gave Warner a safe seat so he became an MP. Climbed the
ladder quickly. When the Ministry of Security was formed
Warner was the obvious choice to take over as Minister.'

'Would I like him?'

'Don't think so. Dominant personality. Knows he's the
cat's whiskers. But very able.'

'Why would he want another place way out here in
the wilds?'

'You probably would, after hours of sitting in Cabinet
sessions listening to a lot of hot air. Warner, like half-a-
dozen others, is tipped as the next Prime Minister.'

They had reached the bottom of the plunging hill, continuing along a main road with fields stretching away on either side. Not a lot of traffic. Buchanan was signalling
again to be ready to turn right. They swung round an
ancient inn of brick which protruded dangerously into
the road.

'Abinger Hammer,' Tweed said. 'From here on I'm in no man's land. I think he's going up the Downs.'

They followed Buchanan round a steep turn-off on to
a narrow climbing road which rose very steeply, swinging
round sharp bends. Buchanan was using his horn as he approached one. The angle increased. It was colder still.
Paula noticed traces of frost on the green slopes. A signpost
to Holmbury St Mary which they drove past. Still climbing and now they saw a black dense forest ahead, a mix of
evergreens and stark trees, leafless and like huge bristle
brooms. Buchanan slowed down, turned slowly up a short road, part of a triangle, with another angle leading back to
the road they had left. Jumping out, he ran back.

'So you know where you are, we are entering Black Wood.'

'Looks so welcoming,' Paula remarked cynically.

'Nothing about where we are going is welcoming,' Buchanan assured her. 'That "Road Closed" sign is to keep traffic away from the scene of the crime area, which is taped off.'

Buchanan ran back to his car, jumped inside, drove straight ahead up the steepest hill they'd negotiated yet. The road narrowed to a simple lane and they continued
climbing. They were inside the dense wood now. Steep
banks rose vertically on either side and they crawled. There
was only just enough clearance to get through. Paula gazed
up to the top of the steep bank on her side, saw Black Wood
leaning over them.

'What if we meet something coming the other way?' she
wondered.

'We'll have to hope we can squeeze into one of the
setbacks they've carved out at intervals.'

'I feel like a rabbit in its burrow,' she remarked.

'This is Carp Lane. I noticed the sign at the entrance. Can't be far now,' Tweed said hopefully.

'Buchanan used the phrase "scene of the crime". Disturb
ing. We don't know a crime has been committed
yet.'

'Your imagination is running away with you. I'm sure he
was referring to the police tapes they've put up
wherever
this abandoned car has been brought back to.'

'If you say so . . .'

The 'burrow' suddenly started dropping precipitously as
they continued crawling. They emerged into daylight when
Buchanan signalled a left turn. At a T-junction they turned
left and began climbing again. At least we're out of that
horrid wood, Paula thought. The rolling frosted slopes of a
high down swept away. The frost was heavy now, the colour
of creme-de-menthe. Then the parked Porsche came into view and police tape barred their way. Several policemen
in uniform stared at them curiously. Buchanan stopped his
car, jumped out, addressed a policeman.

'Sergeant Abbott, if I remember. Sorry to put you to all
this trouble.'

'If it helps find her, sir . . .'

Paula was the first to leave the car, followed by Tweed, as
the policeman accompanied them. The Porsche, pointing
homeward, was parked on the wrong side of the road, just
this side of the bend. Paula, who had pulled on her latex gloves, walked to the car, peered inside.