The Corpse of St James's by Jeanne M. Dams Page B

I didn’t think we had to do something, but we do, don’t we? But what a can of worms!’
    At least that made Alan smile, as he often did when I came up with some colourful American expression. I love his Brit-speak, too.
    â€˜Are you duty-bound to tell anyone what Jonathan has told us?’
    â€˜Not really. It’s up to my own conscience, which I must say is sorely strained. On the one hand, I have no more right than anyone else to withhold information. On the other, Jonathan has a very good point. When an investigation involves the palace, even tangentially, everyone works four times as hard, or at least tries to create that impression. Every stone would be explored.’
    â€˜And every avenue turned over. Yes. So the only question is, really, what can we do, the three of us, to get at the truth quietly?’
    â€˜I have no contacts at the palace,’said Alan.
    â€˜Well, neither do I, for heaven’s sake! But Jonathan does.’
    â€˜Jemima. Is it a good idea to involve her at this stage?’
    â€˜She’ll have to be involved soon. She’s the girl’s mother!’
    â€˜We think she is. It isn’t proven.’
    Alan can sometimes sound irritatingly like a policeman.
    â€˜Well, we’re never going to prove it unless someone identifies her, are we? And we can hardly ask them to call Jemima in to look, without giving away the show. But what’s to prevent Jonathan from showing her some of the pictures they took at the scene? They’re not too awful, really, no blood or anything like that.’
    â€˜You forget, Dorothy, that Jonathan has no access to those photos.’
    â€˜I’ll bet they’d let him see them. Or you. You were both on the scene. You were both well-respected police officers. The respect isn’t gone just because you’re retired and Jonathan is invalided out.’
    â€˜It would soon be lost if they caught either of us out in a stunt like this!’
    His voice was getting louder. We were on the verge of a quarrel.
    â€˜But look, Alan. Suppose Jonathan asks Mr Carstairs if he can look at the photos. Carstairs will almost certainly say yes. And I’ll bet it wouldn’t be hard for him to make a quick copy.’
    â€˜And if he gets caught doing that?’
    â€˜He can make up something, I’m sure.’
    â€˜I won’t encourage him to lie, Dorothy. Lying by saying nothing is one thing. A deliberate untruth is another.’
    We seemed to be at an impasse. I could think of no way to find out anything further without a firm identification of the body, and there seemed to be obstacles in every path to that identification.
    â€˜All right,’ I said slowly. ‘Try this. I go to Carstairs. I say, with perfect truth, that I’m particularly interested in this case, and I’d like to see the pictures, because I didn’t really get a good look at the time. Then I’ll choose the best one, the clearest and least disturbing, and ask, as a special favour, if I might have a copy. I don’t suppose he’ll ask why, but if he does, I’ll hint something. I won’t lie. I think he’ll let me have it, because I’m ultra respectable – I’m your wife, after all – and known to take an unusual interest in crime. If I play it right, I imagine he’ll be rather amused and inclined to let the nosy old lady have what she wants.’
    Alan pondered.
    â€˜I’m not official, you see,’ I pursued. ‘I know you and Jonathan aren’t either, not now, but I never was.’ And as he still said nothing, I added, ‘Please don’t tell me not to do this, Alan. For Jonathan’s sake.’
    â€˜And if I do say no?’
    â€˜Then I’ll try to find another way. I won’t go against your wishes, Alan. We don’t have that kind of marriage. Yes, I’ve fallen into situations you didn’t like, but they were because of bad luck or poor