Death of an Expert Witness by P. D. James Page B

down."
    "Presumably he telephoned for the mechanic before he left."
    "Yes, sir. He says it was all right yesterday morning when Inspector Doyle came with the court orders authorizing the destruction of the cannabis exhibits. It was working then."
    Howarth was irritated. This was one of those minor administrative details which Miss Faraker would never have dreamed of troubling him with. Miss Foley was, he guessed, expecting him to say something sympathetic about Scobie, to inquire whether the old man had been fit to cycle home. Dr. MacIntyre had, no doubt, bleated like an anxious sheep when any of the staff were ill.
    He bent his head over his papers. But Miss Foley was at the door. It had to be now. He made himself say:
    "Ask Dr. Lorrimer to come down for a few minutes, will you please?"
    He could, perfectly casually, have asked Lorrimer to stay on after the meeting; why hadn't he? Probably because there might have been an echo of the headmaster in so public a request. Perhaps because this was an interview he had been glad to postpone, even temporarily.
    Lorrimer came in and stood in front of the desk. Howarth took out Bradley's personal file from his right-hand drawer and said:
    "Sit down will you, please. This annual report on Bradley. You've given him an adverse marking. Have you told him?"
    Lorrimer remained standing. He said: "I'm required by the reporting rules to tell him. I saw him in my office at ten-thirty, as soon as I got back from the P.M."
    "It seems a bit hard. According to his file, it's the first adverse report he's had. We took him on probation eighteen months ago. Why hasn't he made out?"
    "I should have thought that was obvious from my detailed markings. He's been promoted above his capacity."
    "In other words, the Board made a mistake?"
    "That's not so unusual. Boards occasionally do. And not only when it comes to promotions."
    The allusion was blatant, a deliberate provocation, yet Howarth decided to ignore it. With an effort he kept his voice level.
    "I'm not prepared to countersign this report as it stands. It's too early to judge him fairly."
    "I made that excuse for him last year when he'd been with us six months. But if you disagree with my assessment you'll presumably say so. There's a space provided."
    "I intend to use it. And I suggest that you try the effect of giving the boy some support and encouragement. There are two reasons for an inadequate performance. Some people are capable of doing better and will if judiciously kicked into it. Others aren't. To kick them is not only pointless, it destroys what confidence they have. You run an efficient department. But it might be more efficient and happier if you learned how to understand people. Management is largely a matter of personal relationships."
    He made himself look up. Lorrimer said through lips so stiff that the words sounded cracked:
    "I hadn't realized that your family were noted for success in their personal relationships."
    "The fact that you can't take criticism without becoming as personal and spiteful as a neurotic girl is an example of what I mean."
    He never knew what Lorrimer was about to reply. The door opened and his sister came in. She was dressed in slacks and a sheepskin jacket, her blonde hair bound with a scarf. She looked at them both without embarrassment and said easily:
    "Sorry, I didn't realize you were engaged. I ought to have asked Inspector Blakelock to ring."
    Without a word, Lorrimer, deathly pale, turned on his heels, walked past her and was gone. Domenica looked after him, smiled and shrugged.
    She said:
    "Sorry if I interrupted something. It's just to say that I'm going to Norwich for a couple of hours to buy some materials. Is there anything you want?"
    "Nothing, thank you."
    "I'll be back before dinner, but I think I'll give the village concert a miss. Without Claire Easterbrook the Mozart will be pretty insupportable. Oh, and I'm thinking of going up to London for the best part of next week."
    Her brother