own. If it were up to Spilsbury, Dody thought cynically, they would be filed en masse into the viewing room and sent on their way with nothing but a chit of information and a paper bag of effects.
It took a moment for Dody to spot Pike sitting rigidly behind a copy of the Times . In his well-cut grey summer suit and boots that shone like mirrors, he did not look like your average policeman — more like a city gentleman. His grim expression was all policeman, however. She wondered if Singh had already told him of her deception.
She cleared her throat. A dozen pairs of grief-rimmed eyes met hers. ‘Chief Inspector Pike?’ she enquired as if she did not know him. ‘Please come this way.’
After folding the newspaper methodically and tucking it under his arm, he followed her into the small room used to break bad news to loved ones. He picked up her hand and absently kissed her heavily scented fingers.
‘Well?’ he enquired as he pulled a chair out for her. The room contained two chairs and a desk. Spilsbury had declined her request to lighten it up with pictures and flowers and it was as featureless as a crypt. The only other item in the room was a pile of blankets stacked in one corner. The mortuary loaned the blankets out to the poor during the winter in exchange for a small deposit. With the advent of summer most of the blankets had been washed and returned.
‘I’ve gathered and labelled the body parts,’ said Dody, ‘and you’ll be pleased to hear that all the damage was inflicted post-mortem.’
The tension failed to leave Pike’s shoulders as he lowered himself into the other chair.
‘How is the night watchman?’ she asked.
Pike turned his face away from hers. ‘Still unconscious.’
‘You are angry.’
‘How am I supposed to feel?’
‘I gather you heard about my interview with Singh.’
‘I read the notes.’ Pike turned and fixed her with a hard stare. ‘Dody, how could you?’
‘Lie for my sister, you mean? Surely, you of all people understand, Matthew. What about Violet? You once failed to reveal that she was a witness to a major crime!’
Pike flushed. ‘Please, leave Violet out of this. You cannot compare the two cases.’
‘The principles are the same. Of course I will lie for someone I love. I would lie for you too — just as I hope that you would lie for me.’
‘Has she said anything to you about the bombing?’
Dody glanced away. ‘Only to tell me she is innocent.’ Turning Florence in would not do the night watchman any good, she reassured herself, but the effect might be fatal to Florence.
When Dody turned back Pike was scrutinising her; he was adept at reading the language of the body. This time she met his glare head on. He sagged in his chair as if defeated. After some brow-rubbing he held his hand out to her.
‘Matthew, what are we going to do?’ she whispered as he covered her hand in his.
‘The only proper thing for me to do is to step back from the case, which I have done as best as I can without drawing too much attention to the fact. Singh’s in charge with Hensman as his assistant.’
‘Singh respects you, he will listen to you.’
‘I can’t order him to ignore evidence, Dody. Even if I did — and I won’t — Hensman is watching him like a hawk. He’s young and ambitious and seems to see Singh as a rival. He was appointed to the case under Shepherd’s orders. I expect he is reporting to Shepherd at this very moment.’ Pike paused, and gazed at the floor.
Dody waited. When nothing else seemed forthcoming, she said, ‘I won’t be able to give evidence at Florence’s trial. Spilsbury will have to do that.’
‘Indeed. You will have to distance yourself as much as I.’
‘And Florence, where is she now?’
‘In a cell, waiting for her hearing before the magistrate. After that I expect she will be put on remand in Holloway until the trial.’
Dody bit down on the knuckles of her free hand. ‘Oh Lord, she will refuse to eat, and
It took a moment for Dody to spot Pike sitting rigidly behind a copy of the Times . In his well-cut grey summer suit and boots that shone like mirrors, he did not look like your average policeman — more like a city gentleman. His grim expression was all policeman, however. She wondered if Singh had already told him of her deception.
She cleared her throat. A dozen pairs of grief-rimmed eyes met hers. ‘Chief Inspector Pike?’ she enquired as if she did not know him. ‘Please come this way.’
After folding the newspaper methodically and tucking it under his arm, he followed her into the small room used to break bad news to loved ones. He picked up her hand and absently kissed her heavily scented fingers.
‘Well?’ he enquired as he pulled a chair out for her. The room contained two chairs and a desk. Spilsbury had declined her request to lighten it up with pictures and flowers and it was as featureless as a crypt. The only other item in the room was a pile of blankets stacked in one corner. The mortuary loaned the blankets out to the poor during the winter in exchange for a small deposit. With the advent of summer most of the blankets had been washed and returned.
‘I’ve gathered and labelled the body parts,’ said Dody, ‘and you’ll be pleased to hear that all the damage was inflicted post-mortem.’
The tension failed to leave Pike’s shoulders as he lowered himself into the other chair.
‘How is the night watchman?’ she asked.
Pike turned his face away from hers. ‘Still unconscious.’
‘You are angry.’
‘How am I supposed to feel?’
‘I gather you heard about my interview with Singh.’
‘I read the notes.’ Pike turned and fixed her with a hard stare. ‘Dody, how could you?’
‘Lie for my sister, you mean? Surely, you of all people understand, Matthew. What about Violet? You once failed to reveal that she was a witness to a major crime!’
Pike flushed. ‘Please, leave Violet out of this. You cannot compare the two cases.’
‘The principles are the same. Of course I will lie for someone I love. I would lie for you too — just as I hope that you would lie for me.’
‘Has she said anything to you about the bombing?’
Dody glanced away. ‘Only to tell me she is innocent.’ Turning Florence in would not do the night watchman any good, she reassured herself, but the effect might be fatal to Florence.
When Dody turned back Pike was scrutinising her; he was adept at reading the language of the body. This time she met his glare head on. He sagged in his chair as if defeated. After some brow-rubbing he held his hand out to her.
‘Matthew, what are we going to do?’ she whispered as he covered her hand in his.
‘The only proper thing for me to do is to step back from the case, which I have done as best as I can without drawing too much attention to the fact. Singh’s in charge with Hensman as his assistant.’
‘Singh respects you, he will listen to you.’
‘I can’t order him to ignore evidence, Dody. Even if I did — and I won’t — Hensman is watching him like a hawk. He’s young and ambitious and seems to see Singh as a rival. He was appointed to the case under Shepherd’s orders. I expect he is reporting to Shepherd at this very moment.’ Pike paused, and gazed at the floor.
Dody waited. When nothing else seemed forthcoming, she said, ‘I won’t be able to give evidence at Florence’s trial. Spilsbury will have to do that.’
‘Indeed. You will have to distance yourself as much as I.’
‘And Florence, where is she now?’
‘In a cell, waiting for her hearing before the magistrate. After that I expect she will be put on remand in Holloway until the trial.’
Dody bit down on the knuckles of her free hand. ‘Oh Lord, she will refuse to eat, and
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