Sue-Lynn said, You two want to stay out here and fight, thats your business. I want to see him. Superintendent, I insist you take me to see him. Right now!
She spoke in the voice that got waiters and shop assistants jumping.
Dalziel scratched his crotch reflectively, then replied in a fawning Heepish tone, Im sorry, Mrs Maciver, I know what you must be feeling, but its not my decision. Chief Inspector Pascoes in charge here. Its him whos calling the shots.
Not the most diplomatic of phrases in the circumstances, thought Pascoe as he sought for the right words to pour oil on these turbulent waters.
But he was saved from proving his diplomatic skills by a long, wavering cry, which for a second he thought was the owl again.
Then it was joined by a male voice raised in alarm and, looking towards the Volvo, he saw that Helen Dunn had sunk back into the car.
Help me! cried Jason. Please someone, help me! The babys coming!
Kay set off at a run with the other women close behind.
Ive seen your bedside manner, said Pascoe to Dalziel. So, hows your obstetrics?
He didnt wait for an answer but went to his car and said tersely into his radio, DCI Pascoe at Moscow House in the Avenue, Greenhill. Get an ambulance down here fast as you can. Woman in labour.
By God, said Dalziel behind him. This is one up for community policing. Dont worry if your loved one snuffs it. Your modern caring force comes fully equipped with a replacement.
Better than that, Andy, said Ellie whod come running back from the Volvo. Two for the price of one. They say shes having twins.
Size of her, Im surprised its not a football team, said Dalziel. Whats happening?
Her waters have broken. Youve got an ambulance coming, I take it?
The radio crackled and a voice said, Control to Mr Pascoe. Re that ambulance for Moscow House, could be a delay. Theres been a pile-up in fog on the bypass and theyre a bit stretched.
Sos that poor girl, said Ellie. Look, if its going to take that long, I think we ought to get her into the house.
Dalziel looked at Pascoe and raised his eyebrows.
Pascoe said, Wouldnt it make more sense to drive her direct to hospital?
If things happen as quickly as I think they might, she doesnt want to be bouncing around in the back of a car, retorted Ellie. Theres light in there, isnt there? And Im sure its a damn sight warmer than out here. Ill get it organized.
She didnt wait for an answer but returned to the Volvo.
Shit, said Pascoe.
Best-laid plans, eh? said Dalziel. Not to worry. Thank your lucky stars its only a suicide, not a real crime scene.
Again that certainty. But no time now for deep questioning. Pascoe headed for the house to reorganize his defences.
Maycock he relocated at the foot of the stairs.
No civilian goes up there, he commanded. And I mean no one. Anyone tries, stop em. Anyone persists, arrest em. Anyone resists arrest, cuff em. Is there any other way up there?
Theres a back stair, said Sergeant Bonnick, coming down from the landing, followed by Inspector Ireland. Whats going on, sir?
Pascoe explained.
You cover that back stair, Sergeant. Same as here. No one goes up it, OK? Paddy, how are they doing up there?
You know SOCO. Slow but sure, said Ireland, for once not reacting to his sobriquet. When theyve finished the study, they want to know how much of the rest of the house you want done.
Tell them to have a look round upstairs, said Pascoe. Doubt if therell be much point down here once this mob start milling around, but lets try to keep their movements as confined as possible.
He went across the hall and flung open a door that led into a large bay-windowed drawing room full of bulky pieces of furniture shrouded in dust sheets.
You reckon theres something dodgy about this suicide, Pete? said Ireland, curious why Pascoe should have any concern about the ground floor.
I hope not, said Pascoe. But if there is, I dont want things muddied by having the whole place turned into a maternity hospital. Well put Mrs Dunn and the others in here till the ambulance comes, and well try to keep them in here.
Youll be lucky, said Ireland with the cynicism of a father of five, four of whom had been born at home. Woman in labour, every female within half a mile becomes Queen of the Universe.
Well just have to do our best, but if any of them do have to come out, I want to know the reason why and I want a record kept of exactly where they go. And I mean exactly. Got that, Paddy?
Yes, sir, said Ireland placatingly. Ive got it.
Well just have to do our best, but if any of them do have to come out, I want to know the reason why and I want a record kept of exactly where they go. And I mean exactly. Got that, Paddy?
Yes, sir, said Ireland placatingly. Ive got it.
Hes wondering why Im being so neurotic, thought Pascoe.
Maybe I should wonder the same.
Does my sensitive nose really scent something untoward about this business, or am I merely reacting to Fat Andys ready acceptance of suicide and mysterious hints of preknowledge?
He heard voices in the hallway and went out. The birthing party had arrived, with Helen supported by her husband and Dalziel, Ellie and Kay Kafka in close attendance, and Cressida and Sue-Lynn bringing up the rear. The last two both looked pretty subdued. Not surprising. Husband and brother lying dead upstairs, sister and sister-in-law giving birth below. It was a situation to subdue a Tartar.
In here, said Pascoe.
Couldnt we get her to a bedroom? said Dunn.
Dont be daft, wed need a sodding crane, said Dalziel.
And a cry of pain from Helen persuaded her husband.
Ellie said, Is the water supply turned on?
Pascoe looked at Ireland, who said, Yes, maam.
Heaters too?
Ill check.
Thank you.
Pascoe looked at Ellie curiously. Those scenes in old movies where birth was accompanied by the boiling up of untold and unused gallons of water had always amused her greatly.
She said, What?
He said, Nothing.
There was a shriek from the lounge.
Id better get in there, said Ellie.
As she went in, Dalziel came out.
No place for a sensitive soul, he said. Out in the desert they say Bedouin lasses just drop their kids on the march, hardly break step. Dont need fifty other women all running around like blue-arsed fleas. No word on that ambulance? Mebbe I should talk to the buggers.
I dont think that would help, said Pascoe sharply. It will get here as soon as possible, and it will either be in time or it wont, and all the shouting in the world wont make any difference.
Dont take it out on me, Pete.
Take what out?
Come on! Woman so pregnant she can hardly walk, shocked by news that her brothers topped himself. Doctor and ambulance already at scene. And you let em both go! Not the best career move you ever made, lad.
Pascoe reached forward and seized the Fat Mans arm.
You reckon? he grated into his superiors smiling face. Well, heres what I suggest we do during the few remaining moments of my beautiful career. Lets find somewhere quiet where you can bring me up to speed on exactly what it is you know about this place and these people that I dont, OK?
Thought youd never ask, said Andy Dalziel.
12
Dalziel and Pascoe sat side by side at the head of the staircase.
Cant credit you know nowt, said Dalziel. Where were you ten years back?
I dont know. Where were you a week last Tuesday?
Not the same thing, said Dalziel. Anyone can lose a day, but I can tell you exactly where I was ten years ago.
Bully for you. But hang about Ten years March I remember! I was on my back in bed.
Oh aye? Dirty weekend?
No. Ellie and I had been away to Marrakesh and I picked up hepatitis.
Like I said, dirty weekend.
Ha. Anyway, that accounts for me for a month or more. So, where were you that you can be so exact about?
Me? said Dalziel. Easy. I were here.
Here?
Aye, lad. Dont recollect sitting on the stairs, but I was certainly in this house. And for much the same reason. Its ten years ago to this very day that Pal Maciver Senior, thats the dad of this lot, him on the wall in the breeks and woolly hat, locked himself in his study, tied a bit of string round the trigger of a Purdy shotgun, looped the other end round his big toe, and blew his head to pieces.
Ah, said Pascoe.
For a moment there didnt seem anything else to say. Then there seemed to be so much that he took another moment to marshal his words.
In his study thats the same room and he had an open book on his desk?
Thats right. But as Ive not seen it yet and Bonnick says it were too covered with blood and brain for him to read the title, I cant say if its the same book.
But if it were, by which I presume youd mean the same title not necessarily the same volume, what would that be?
Book of poems. Funny little things. Some Yankee bint. Eleanor Dickson, summat like that.
Emily Dickinson?
Thats the one. Bit weird. Might have guessed youd know her.
Ignoring this aspersion on his literary taste, Pascoe was running through what little he knew about the Maciver family history already. Hed met Cressida a couple of times, found her somewhat over intense, and when foolishly hed wondered aloud how Ellie had come to make a friend out of an aggressive man-basher who, every time she got drunk, attempted to rape her, hed been lectured on not judging by surfaces. Underneath it all, he was told, Cress was really dreadfully in need of reassurance, and love, probably due to childhood trauma caused by the early death of her parents, which she never talked about.
I think she was heavily dependent on her brother and theyre still very close, but when he got married, that left a gap in her life. Shes always looking for a strong man to lean on. Trouble is, the bastards always keel over!
None of this seemed relevant, so he said to Dalziel, This is a copycat suicide then? Thats what brought you running?
Strolling, said the Fat Man. Aye, youre right. Lightning striking twice and all that. Idle curiosity.
Liar, thought Pascoe, not knowing why he thought it, but knowing he was right.
But it cant be exactly copycat, can it? he said. This Pal Maciver, the father, I mean, must have been a good bit older-family established, second wife.
Mid-forties, agreed Dalziel. His lad must be-must have been-barely thirty. At university when it happened, I recall.
And Cressida?
Boarding school. Final year. She were head girl.
That figures. And the younger daughter, Helen?
The mobile incubator? Shed have been about nine. She were away in the States with her stepmother. Thats her you saw out there, the classy one.