An Advancement of Learning - Reginald Hill 21 стр.

He paused outside to breathe in the balmy morning air and listen to the birds.

It looked like being a red-hot day. But he could be wrong. For instance yesterday, for all its early lack of promise, had turned out very fine indeed.

Chapter 11

What the hell happened to you last night? asked Dalziel. went round to your room three times. Im sorry, sir, said Pascoe. got held up.

Dalziel looked at him critically.

Held up, eh? It must be age. Anyway, you should be old enough to look at this.

Pascoe had found his chief wandering around, apparently merely enjoying the morning sunshine, in an area just beyond the large beech hedge which marked the farthermost bourne of the staff-garden. A couple of old garden-sheds stood against the hedge and, as he spoke, Dalziel dramatically flung open the door of the larger.

The sun poured in and ricocheted off the broad flanks of the woman who lay there on a bed of sacking. Upright she might have been dramatic; on her back she was almost obscene. Pascoe had last seen her on the back of a builders truck.

So this is where they put it, he said, patting the statues upraised left knee. much for Miss. Girlings immortal memory.

He looked enquiringly at Dalziel.

You told me to have a look, Sergeant, he said. I tracked her down.

That was a good point you made. Not before time, I might add. Why should a woman like Girling have a memorial like this? And furthermore, how did they manage to get it up so quickly February someone said. It usually takes ages to organize anything like that deciding on a design, getting someone to do it, the artistic work it all adds up.

Theres many a Great War memorial just got finished in time for 1939. Yes, sir, said Pascoe, sensing a reminiscence coming on. do you think they managed it?

Dalziel scratched his navel then, as though in comparison, did the same to the statue.

Tell me, lad, he said, ve got an eye for the girls. That lass, Cargo, how old would you say she was? Cargo? said Pascoe. is she?

Dalziel looked at him in disgust.

The best thing on the staff, he said. Miss. Soper must have strong powers of attraction. Lets see. I would say, at a guess, without actually handling the merchandise, that she cant be any more than twenty-seven or twenty-eight at the outside. Probably twenty-seven. Does that suggest anything to you? Wait a minute! said Pascoe. wasnt on the list of staff employed when Girling was boss!

So!

So I dont know. Perhaps she was just commissioned to do the job and got a full-time post later?

Commissioned for a job like this at twenty-one?

Twenty-one? Yes, twenty-one. Of course! said Pascoe. must have been a student.

Well done! Yes, one of Als famous gals. And here, if Im not mistaken, she comes.

Pascoe looked along the beech hedge. At the far end a uniformed constable appeared with Marion Cargo. He pointed towards the two detectives, put a finger to his helmet and went on his way.

Very gallant, observed Dalziel. . Cargo, how nice of you to come!

He had to raise his voice as she was still some twenty yards away.

Pascoe watched her approach with interest.

Nice, he thought. Not built on traditional art-mistress lines, all bum and bosom, but none the worse for that. She could go to the vicars tea-party dressed like that and still put a bit of strength in the sextons arm. Oh, yes.

His thoughts turned rather guiltily to Ellie. What the hell. There were no ties there. Last nights encounter had been the chance-in-a-million crossing of orbits which now would spin them light-years apart.

He liked the image. Perhaps Ellie could use it in her book. He had tried the first chapter over breakfast. It hadnt held him but he felt he ought to persevere.

Why do you want to see me, Superintendent? asked Marion. Then she saw the statue through the open door.

Oh, she said in neutral tones.

Its a pity, said Dalziel, it should be lying here out of sight.

Like all that stuff in the basement of the National Gallery.

Thats it, thought Pascoe. Hell mention

The Stag at Bay then hes shot his bolt.

Not really, said Marion. s not very good.

You mustnt say that. Im no judge, but I know what I like, and this looks fine to me.

Dalziel nodded sagely as though he had just bestowed a Nobel Prize.

But, he went on, you place so little value on it, why were you so upset when it came down? Everyone remarked on it.

Everyone, had been Landor.

Marion flushed.

Not because of the statue itself, she said. know its absurd but, well, it had a sentimental value. Thats all.

Really? You mean, because of Miss. Girling?

Yes. It was her idea, you see

Her idea! broke in Pascoe. Dalziel looked at him reprovingly.

and she gave me so much encouragement. She was really super. The others didnt want it, you know, they didnt think it was the thing. I thought theyd have banned it after it all happened, but instead they decided to use it as

She stopped and turned away.

There, there, said Dalziel, patting her shoulder avuncularly. But his eyes were glancing smugly at Pascoe.

Im sorry, she said finally, moving from under the next of Dalziels blows.

Not at all. Quite understand, he said. , Miss. Cargo, you started work on the statue in

September. It should have gone up before Christmas, but the weather was so awful that they didnt get the hole dug for the base till the last week of term.

Youd be a final year student at the time?

Thats right.

And after Miss. Girlings reported death, it was decided to use your statue as a memorial to her? Yes. Like I said, not everyone agreed. Miss. Scotby was very much against it.

And Miss. Disney?

No, actually. It was her and Henry Saltecombe who talked the others into it. It was a bit absurd, I mean, the thing was meant to symbolize youthful drive and energy. And the base, continued Dalziel, did they put the concrete base into the hole?

Im not sure, said Marion. it important? Yes, said Dalziel.

She thought hard.

I cant say, Im afraid. There was a hole there when we left for the hols, and the base was in when we got back. Thats all I can say.

Sergeant Pascoe, perhaps you could

Pascoe did not wait for him to finish, but nodded and began to step out rapidly towards the college.

And when did you come back to the college?

Oh, just a year ago. Id done a bit of teaching, got some extra qualifications on part-time courses, then this job came. up. It seemed like fate somehow. Id said Id never come back after the last year. But that all seemed such a long time before. Now its all started again.

She slammed shut the door of the shed, frightening a blackbird which had been perched on the roof, observing them.

She slammed shut the door of the shed, frightening a blackbird which had been perched on the roof, observing them.

Sorry, she called contritely after it, but it didnt look round.

Thank you very much, my dear, said Dalziel. me walk you back to college.

He turned to the low archway cut in the hedge which led through into the garden.

No thanks, said Marion looking through the gap. think Ill stroll around here for a while. These artists have bloody sensitive souls, thought Dalziel as he watched her go. She even came the long way round.

He found Pascoe in Landors study in the act of replacing the telephone receiver.

Easy! said the sergeant. nice for once. It was the builders who are doing the work here now. I gave their office a tinkle and got right in touch with the man who supervised the job. He remembered it well. He paused dramatically. Dalziel belched.

The base was lowered into place on Tuesday the twentieth of December. Theres a thing, said Dalziel.

She never left.

Or didnt go far if she did.

Scotby saw her driving off at 6 p. m.

Saw someone driving off at 6 p. m. Or says she saw someone driving off. do we know about her movements that day? ve got an outline.

We need more than a bloody outline. Sergeant, lets get to work and fill it in!

Filling it in proved more difficult than it sounded, but not more difficult than Pascoe had come to expect. If getting hold of staff on a working day was difficult, getting hold of them on a Saturday morning proved almost impossible.

Landor was nowhere to be found. His wife, a pale skeletal woman, denied all knowledge of his whereabouts. She was only certain he would be back for lunch.

We have guests, she added defensively as though Pascoe were holding her certainty against her.

Its all Id hold, thought Pascoe.

Scotby, the main source of what little information he already had about the course of events on the nineteenth of December, had likewise disappeared.

He banged on the door of her room, then Disneys, and finally Ellies.

Hi, she said. She was still in her dressing-gown. ? Id better not, he said. She seemed to be expecting to be kissed so he obliged. The dressing-gown fell open.

Im looking for Scotby. Or Disney, he said hurriedly, averting his eyes.

It takes all sorts to make a world, she answered, fastening her belt.

Any ideas?

Well, Scotbyll be down on the beach with a great lump of animality between her legs.

What?

Riding. She rides. Horses. It keeps her fit, said Ellie lighting a cigarette and coughing violently. it sweats out her refined little lust for Simeon.

Landor? Youre joking!

Please yourself. Ive watched her. Shed love to get her saddle over him, said Ellie coarsely. she makes do with Black Beauty every Saturday and Sunday morning. Theres a riding-school beyond the golf club.

And Disney?

Hair. Every Saturday. You didnt think it could look as unkempt as that by nature? No, its a wash and set and a bit of capital titillation from the fingers of some epicene young man.

Thanks a lot, said Pascoe gloomily.

Youre welcome. In fact, she added, dropping her voice to a husky whisper, re very welcome.

She laughed after him as he retreated back to Dalziel.

Its no good, he said. re all out of reach, those who might be some good to us. Thats all right, said Dalziel. Theyll all be back. I just rang the chairman of the governors.

Oh?

You did say there was a governors meeting that day, didnt you? It might be interesting to find out what it was about, when it ended, that sort of thing.