Recalled to Life

‘But the noise that awoke Miss Marsh …?’

‘Probably was the kids. Or she dreamt it. Wally weren’t worried about it.’

‘Why?’ asked Pascoe, then answered his own question. ‘Because it was too early. Because Mickledore was still downstairs with Stamper getting ready for his stroll and Partridge for his gallop. Because if he had planned the murder, he would know the ideal time to commit it was while the stable clock was chiming. So he wasn’t interested in Marsh’s accident because its timing was wrong. Understandable, I suppose. But how the hell could he justify ignoring the explanation of Kohler and the blood?’

‘She didn’t tell him,’ said Dalziel. ‘Don’t ask me why, but she never mentioned Kohler.’

‘How can you be so sure?’

‘Because I’m sure Wally would’ve done something about it!’ snarled Dalziel.

‘All right. But if he decided that Mickledore used the clock as cover for the gunshots, then how do you tie in Kohler wandering around upstairs with bloodstained hands before midnight?’

‘Who said it was before midnight? There were four kids larking about upstairs. Stamper said it was before the chimes struck that he saw Kohler, true. But one of the girls said the chimes were actually striking and the other two said they’d struck already. Can’t trust kids’ evidence.’

‘Not unless it suits you,’ said Pascoe.

‘Ha-ha. Forget the kids. What do you reckon to what you’ve seen as reason for letting Kohler loose?’

‘Not a lot,’ admitted Pascoe. ‘With the Appeal Court, the longer it takes, the harder it gets. I reckon the Hartlepool monkey would be hard put to get a pardon now.’

‘So?’

‘So there’s probably more than we’ve heard about. Maybe something the powers-that-be prefer to keep out of the public gaze.’

‘And what kind of thing might that be?’