The Price of Butcher's Meat (40 page)

Decided to ignore the Tom, Dick, and Harry crack, but it’s not often
I get the chance to trip Pete up with this daft PC stuff so I said,

“Shouldn’t call her a girl, if I were you. She’s a bright young woman.”

“Thanks, Andy, I’ll try to remember that. Though, like so many these
days, despite all that time in our expensive education system, she still
can’t spell.”

“Pete,” I said, “you’re a real tonic to a sick old man. You make me feel
young!”

He said, “Always glad to help. But it’s not just a grumpy-old-man
moan. You recall that letter that Lady Denham got, the one you handed
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R E G I N A L D H I L L

over to me? In it, the word
receive
was spelt with the
e
and the
i
the
wrong way round. And it’s that partic u lar error we find in these
e-mails.”

“Oh aye?” I said, unimpressed. “But according to you, most of the
young buggers nowadays can’t spell. Think you’ll need a bit more than
that to send her down for a lifer.”

“There are other interesting things here as well,” he said, a bit coldly.

“I don’t see much point in discussing them till I’ve talked with the girl. I
mean young woman.”

Wield came in.

He said, “Shirley’s just told me you’ve sent her to bring Miss Heywood in.”

Hello, I thought. Pete making decisions without consulting Broken
Face. The times they are a-changing.

“That’s right. Is there a problem?”

“Just wondered who you wanted to deal with first, Miss Heywood or
Mrs. Griffi ths.”

“Heywood,” said Pete. “Let Griffiths stew. Andy, anything else? As
you can see, we’re up to our eyes.”

I said, “Nowt, except I’d go easy with the Heywood lass. Like I say,
she’s bright.”

“Be nice to bright people. I’ll note that,” said Pascoe. “Anything else,
sir?”

Trying to make me piss off by provoking me! There’s folk tried that
with cattle prods and failed!

I said, “Aye, and Godley the healer’s fallen for her in a big way, only
she’s too bright to have noticed. So if you really think he’s holding something back, mebbe you could use her somehow to get him to open up.”

He said thoughtfully, “Thanks, Andy. I’ll make a note of that,” this
time sounding like he meant it.

So while I was in credit, I took me chance and said, “Pete, I can see
you’re up to your neck here. I were thinking: Fester and Pet up at the
home are likely feeling a bit out of it ’cos you haven’t got round to interT H E P R I C E O F B U T C H E R ’ S M E AT 2 9 5

viewing them yet. I’m on the spot, and I know what makes ’em tick, so
why don’t I have a chat, get a preliminary statement, like you get from
Novello or Bowler, then you can decide whether you need to follow it
up yourself.”

I chucked in the last bit about Hat and Ivor ’cos I thought the notion
of using me like a DC might appeal, but, give him his due, he didn’t
hesitate for a second.

He said, “That would be very helpful, Andy. Thank you. But by the
book, eh?”

“You mean I can’t use the rubber truncheon? Oh shit,” I said. “What
about my little friend?”

I pulled out Mildred.

“Oh yes,” he said. “Might be useful. At your discretion.”

Wield gave a sort of snarly grunt that meant, What the fuck’s this
about?

Pete said, “Forgot to mention in last night’s excitements, Wieldy.

Andy’s gone hi- tech. He’s got Lady D recorded in conversation with him.

Be good if you two can get together some time and transcribe it. But not
now. You’ve both got better things to do.”

Wieldy and me can both take a hint. He left and I said, “Right. I’ll
be off. And thank you too.”

“What for?”

“Not mentioning Cap and ANIMA,” I said.

“No need to,” he said. “Like me and Franny Roote, I know you won’t
let a personal relationship stand in the way of your duty.”

By the cringe! I thought, the bugger’s really determined to put me in
my place.

Then he grinned like a schoolboy and produced this green plastic fi le.

“Here you are,” he said. “I’ll be interested to hear what you make of
them.”

“What?”

“Miss Heywood’s e-mails. You didn’t really think I’d not let you see
them? I made a copy for you.”

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“But you didn’t know I were coming down here,” I protested.

“Of course I didn’t, Andy,” he said, still grinning. “Like I don’t know
the swallows are coming in the spring.”

Oh, you clever bugger! I thought as I left. What’ll you be like when
time’s set a grizzle on your case?

Sooner I get back on the job the better, else I might be fi nding the
place filled!

3

FROM:

[email protected]

TO:

[email protected]

SUBJECT: things get worse!

Hi!

Im really frustrated. Lots happening—some fascinating stuff—its like being in a Miss Marple movie—but the screen goes fuzzy when youre not actually in shot!

Breakfast was a bit of a scratch affair.

Tom gobbled his then shot off to see what he could find out—& more important to reassure his troops that the violent events of the previous day were just a glitch in the triumphal progress of Sandytown! Mary made polite conversation—trying not to sully the ears of the children.

Neednt have bothered. The younger kids had decided whatever was going on was adult stuff—disregardable so long as it didnt get in the way of their own plans—& they shot off outside as soon as theyd stuffed their faces.

Minnie of course was having none of that—& it took a couple of—for Mary—sharp rebukes to keep her from cross examining Clara.

Then we heard the sound of a car coming up the drive & Min looked out of the window & screamed—its Novello—come to take me for my interview!—

Mary ordered her to sit still & went to the door—& we all waited—with bated breath—to see how she would handle things. If Tom had been home—Im sure thered have been a confrontation—but Mary kept her voice low & a few moments later she reappeared with Novello—looking a bit chastened—by her side.

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R E G I N A L D H I L L

Min jumped up—face bright with expectation—but it was me the DC was looking at.

Good morning Miss Heywood—she said—very formal—that should have warned me—Mr Pascoe our DCI would like to talk with you—

—here?—I said stupidly—like he might be traveling in the boot of her tiny car.

—no—down at the hall—as soon as you can—if thats OK—

I shrugged & said—why not?

Min—who was standing there like an actress whos got to her feet in anticipation of winning an Oscar only to hear someone elses name—burst out—but you promised wed go swimming!—

—later—I said—I dont expect Ill be long—will I?—

I looked at Novello who shrugged.

We went out to her car. Behind us—from the doorstep—Mary said—you will remember what I said Constable Novello?—If at any time in the future you should wish to talk to any of my children—I would appreciate it if you contacted myself or their father first—

No special voice here—just her normal gentle conversational tone—but I saw Novello wince like shed been whipped. She turned & began to speak—but Mary was already closing the door.

On the way down the hill—I said—whats this all about Shirley? Is it true youve arrested Mr Godley?—

—sorry—I cant discuss the case—she said—still formal. I put it down to being told off by Mary—& we did the rest of the short trip in silence.

I expected to find the police had taken over the hall. Instead I was taken to a flat above the stables block. Looked in on Ginger. Seemed like someone had remembered to feed & water him—so not all townie morons!

The fl at was a decent size but run down. First room I entered looked like it had been a living room—now it had computers & telephones & display boards on all the walls. There I met 2 men. One was thickset with the kind of face people will eventually be paying me good money not to dream of! By contrast anyone would have looked

good—but the other really was quite

dishy—slim—mid

30s—a shock of pale brown hair either attractively disheveled—or carefully arranged—narrow intelligent face—bright blue eyes T H E P R I C E O F B U T C H E R ’ S M E AT 2 9 9

that ran me up & down without undressing me—which I found rather disturbing—or disappointing?—& a nice smile as he said—Miss Heywood? Im DCI Pascoe—& this is Detective Sergeant Wield—so good of you to come—

So this was the supersleuth—I thought. Easy to believe now Id seen him—except of course I was still certain hed got it dead wrong with regard to poor Mr Godley.

He took me into another room—bedroom I suppose—peeling wallpaper—

smell of damp—just enough room for a small kitchen table—several hard chairs—a clutter of recording equipment on a recessed shelf.

The ugly sergeant was with us—but not Novello.

We sat down—me opposite Pascoe—the sergeant to one side.

For a few moments no one spoke—old psychologists trick—trying to let silence push me into speech—so—childishly—I resolved not to say anything before he did.

Finally he opened a folder hed brought with him & spilled onto the table several sheets of closely printed paper. Even upside down I recognized them. The printouts of my emails that Id given to Novello. Suddenly I had a bad feeling & forgot my resolve.

I said—where did you get those?—

He said—from DC Novello of course—where else?—

I thought—that dykey cow! (sorry—but even psychologists relapse into non–PC thinking at moments of stress!) No wonder she was a bit off with me this morning. Guilt!

I said—well hold on there. I want to make it clear—I let DC Novello look at them on the strict understanding that shed only extract from them anything she thought might be useful & not pass it on without keeping me informed—

—indeed—he said—so we may assume she found it all useful—& as for keeping you informed—thats whats happening now—isnt it?—

This with the smile again—but I was on to him now. He wasnt trying to charm me into accepting Novellos shattering of my foolish trust. No—hed probably listened to her account of me & decided—rightly—I wasnt going to fall for the all mates together line again. So—get in my face—provoke a reaction—get it out of the way—then down to business.

Not bad psychology—I thought. OK—I wasnt going to forgive bitch Novello 3 0 0

R E G I N A L D H I L L

in a hurry—but he knew that—& why should he care? In fact her getting all the crap left a clear field for him to be nice cop & get all the benefit of my interesting insights!

I gave him a faint smile—& could see he was pleased.

But every quid has a quo—as the HB used to say—& always make sure you see the quo before you let any sod get his hand on your quid—

Not big on double entendre our dad—& Im sure hed have been shocked to have heard you & me giggling every time you came home from a first date & Id ask how big was his quo—& did he get his hand on your quid!

I said—before we start—is it true youve arrested Mr Godley?—

—hes been helping us with our inquiries—yes—he said.

—then you must be mad—I said. If he wanted blunt—he was going to get it!

—why?—

—cos theres as much chance of him committing murder as the pope!—I said.

—which pope would that be?—he said—John Paul the 2nd? Or Alexander the 6th?—

I didnt get the reference but did get the message—I was dealing with a real clever bugger here—a category that ranks just above daft buggers on the HBs hit list!

He hadnt finished either. He went on—in any case Miss Heywood—why would you think it impossible that a man you find distinctly odd—mad as a hatter was your description I seem to recall—should commit murder?—

I said—youre right Mr Pascoe—I did find him odd—still do—but if—as I presume—youre trying to impress me with your total recall of what youve read in my private emails—you will also have noticed I modified my first impression considerably as I came to see his oddness was mainly the oddness of goodness & innocence in a corrupt & guilty world—

There! Let him see he wasnt the only clever bugger around!

Of course all I was saying—when you dumped the fancy packaging—was—

dont know how I know it but I just know Mr Godley couldnt kill anyone!

He gave me a get- her! kind of look—then said—goodness & innocence can be motives too—but lets not get bogged down in psychology & T H E P R I C E O F B U T C H E R ’ S M E AT 3 0 1

metaphysics—lets look at the facts. Godley was found by 2 police officers beside Hollis’s body—with his hand on the instrument that killed him. My officer searched the house immediately after the discovery. There was nobody else there—

—which indicates—if you know your Agatha Christie—I interrupted—that he certainly did not do it!—

A stupid thing to say—but he nodded as if really pleased—& said—you read Christie do you? I collect her first editions—Ive got one or two rarities—

—no—I dont read the books—but Ive seen a lot of the movies—I said.

—yes—like Jane Austen she films surprisingly well—he said—But you will recall that occasionally—as in The Hollow—the character you dismiss from the frame because theyve been caught apparently in flagrante can turn out to be the perpetrator after all—

—youre suggesting Mr Godley let himself be caught—to divert suspicion!—

I mocked.

—in a way—yes—he said. His story is—he called at Witch Cottage—Miss Lee was