Page 107 of Marble Hall Murders

‘I’ll do anything I can to help.’

‘Do you think Charles would agree to see me?’

‘Charles? Why?’

‘I know it’s asking a lot and he’s got no reason to want to help me, but this isn’t just about me. It all goes back to Marble Hall. Eliot told me his grandmother was murdered. He saw something and he put it in his book. It turns out that Charles knew Eliot better than anyone. It’s just possible that Eliot may have said something to him.’

‘Charles never mentioned anything to me.’

‘Could you at least ask him? Charles befriended Eliot when he was ten years old. I met Edward Crace and he said that Charles was almost a second father to him. I think this whole thing begins with Eliot, Roland and Julia, but the family won’t talk to me. There’s no-one else I can ask.’

‘Well, I can talk to him. But I’ve got to warn you, Susan, you’re not his favourite person.’

‘I can understand that.’

‘I’ll do what I can. I have a call booked with him this afternoon.’

‘Thanks, Elaine.’

‘Take care of yourself, Susan. Stay strong.’

*

I had barely put the phone down before DI Blakeney and DC Wardlaw arrived. I saw the car pull in and, as if sensing trouble, Hugo jumped off the sofa and ran into the back bedroom. It was twelve thirty and I wasn’t looking my best after a rushed morning and a bad night’s sleep. On the other hand, I didn’t think they had come here to invite me out to lunch. I opened the door before they had time to ring the bell and immediately regretted it.

‘Were you expecting us, Susan?’ Blakeney asked.

‘No. I was on the phone. I saw you arrive.’

We sat in the kitchen. I didn’t offer them coffee.

‘We have a lot to talk about,’ Blakeney began. ‘And none of it is good news.’

‘It’s not good at all,’ Wardlaw added, portentously. What was wrong with that woman?

‘I might as well tell you straight away that the piece of fabric which we recovered from the grille of your car has been positively identified as coming from the jacket Eliot Crace was wearing last night. We have also found obvious bloodstains, both on your car and on the cloth, which have provided a one hundred per cent match.’

‘Well, that sounds pretty conclusive, Detective Inspector. Are you arresting me?’

‘You’re in a very serious situation, Susan. I won’t lie to you. But we’d like to speak to you first.’

‘Well …’ I spread my hands, a gesture of surrender. ‘I’ll help you any way I can. But I already told you. I didn’t drive to the party. I took the tube.’

‘You’re sure you wish to stick to that statement?’

‘Why would I want to change it?’

‘Because you could be perverting the course of justice,’ Wardlaw suggested.

I pretended I hadn’t heard that. I was doing my best to look relaxed, but they weren’t making it easy.

Blakeney was more reasonable. ‘We have new evidence, Susan. A witness has come forward with a sighting of a red MG speeding away from Trafalgar Square a minute after Eliot Crace was struck down,’ he explained. ‘The caller wasonly able to get two digits of the number plate, but they’re the same as yours.’

‘Did the caller give you their name?’

‘They did not. But that’s not unusual. You’d be surprised how many civic-minded people want to help the police but are nervous of getting involved.’

‘So they were anonymous.’