Declared Dead

'And you have no idea why your husband and Mr Radcliffe met?'

I had a very good idea, but saw no reason to tell Inspector Wilkinson.

'Is it true to say that you and your husband didn't see eye to eye?'

'You might as well know, Inspector, that my husband didn't see eye to eye, as you put it, with a lot of people. He was capable of being very charming to some people and rather vicious towards others.'

'Didn't he and Mr Radcliffe fall out about a horse?'

'That started it, but it was all over years ago. Tom, I mean Mr Radcliffe, wasn't in the least to blame but you couldn't tell Edward that. He wouldn't hear a good word about him.'

'But you wouldn't describe your marriage as a happy one? Surely the truth is, Mrs Pryde, that your marriage was on the rocks, wasn't it?'

I saw no point in lying. 'Things were going very badly. You've probably heard it all from Mrs Parsons anyway. I no longer loved my husband, Inspector, and I very much doubt if he had the slightest bit of affection for me.'

'Did you consider divorcing him?'

'I did, but I was worried about losing custody of our son.'

'Did you fight?'

'Do you mean just argue, or actually come to blows?'

'Come to blows.'

'He often hit me. The cut above my lip was his work at Cheltenham races, as are these burn marks.'

'Do you know how the blood came to be on that bronze we found at the cottage?'

'It was Edward's. I hit him with the bronze on Friday.'

'Tell us about it.'

I told him about Friday's fight, embroidering it in such a way as to divulge nothing about Freddie's involvement.

'Are you sure your husband was only concussed that evening?'

'If you're accusing me of murdering him, you're wrong. If I had done, how could he have met Mr Radcliffe for a drink on Saturday night?'

'We've only Mr Radcliffe's word for that.'

'What about the landlord and anyone else who saw them in the pub?'

He didn't pursue that train of thought. 'Did you go and ride out at Mr Radcliffe's yard that morning?'

I nodded.

'When you arrived, did you have a long conversation with him in the yard before you started schooling?'

'Not that long, about five minutes.'

'What did you talk about?'

'My ride in the Gold Cup, that sort of thing.'

'Did you mention your husband, what had happened the night before?'

I could see where this line of questioning was leading. Tom's head lad, Jamie Brown, had a sour tongue inside a big mouth, as well as a great aversion to women jockeys.

'If you're referring to the end of our conversation, when Tom said he'd like to get his hands on my husband, that was just talk. He wouldn't hurt a fly. Did he also tell you I said I wanted Edward dead?'

This time it was the Inspector's turn to nod.

'Well I meant it, but that doesn't mean I killed him.'

'Are you sure you don't know what your husband and Mr Radcliffe discussed in the pub, why they became involved in such a heated row?'

I shook my head. 'Positive.'

'They were discussing you. Your husband was telling Radcliffe to stop seeing you. Just how long have you and Radcliffe been lovers, Mrs Pryde?'

'Can I see my solicitor now?'

* * *

Amy's appearance was a good deal more sombre than the night before. Leather had given way to a conventional black suit and she behaved more like a solicitor than a friend from the moment she arrived. After a brief discussion in private it was agreed that I would continue to answer questions provided she was present.

Wilkinson went straight back on the attack. 'You don't deny, then, that you are lovers?'

I looked to Amy sitting beside me and she indicated I should answer.

'I was, but am no longer, Tom Radcliffe's lover. Our relationship began over a year ago and lasted for about eight months, after which I put an end to it.'

'Were you in love with him?'

'Yes. But I realised that so long as I was still married to Edward I couldn't continue the affair, and that it wasn't going to make anyone happier in the long term. I was particularly worried that if Edward found out, he would use it as grounds for taking Freddie.'

'How did Mr Radcliffe react to your ending the relationship?'

'He was disappointed, but understanding. He thought I ought to leave Edward and fight him for custody.'

'And you didn't want to do that?'

'You know who my father-in-law is, don't you? What's more, that wouldn't have been in Freddie's interest. He would be the one to suffer most.'

'But you continued to see Mr Radcliffe?'

'On a professional basis only. He had always supported me as a jockey and he saw no reason to stop doing so.'

'Perhaps he hoped you would go back to him?'

'I made it clear that would have been impossible.'

'As long as Edward was alive.'

'If you're seriously suggesting that Tom killed Edward, you're making a grave error of judgement. It's ludicrous. You don't even know that it's Edward's body yet.'

'We're very confident that the blood found near the car will match the blood found on the bronze.'

'And if they don't match?'

'We still have a murder enquiry, and until he is found your husband becomes a missing person again. But don't pin any hopes on it. That body is your husband's and what's more, we believe that Tom Radcliffe murdered him. What we don't know is whether you were in it with him. Were you?'

'Of course I wasn't. I was up all night looking after Freddie. I think you ought to know that there are many people who wanted my husband dead. You see, he was a blackmailer.'

I could have sworn the Inspector grinned.

'That's a very serious allegation to make, Mrs Pryde, particularly about a man who's in no position to defend himself.'

I proceeded to tell them all about the diary and our conversation that Friday afternoon. It was obvious from their reaction that they didn't believe me.

'Where is this diary, then?' asked the Inspector.

'I presume it was burned with him. I didn't know it even existed until the day we found it. He must have carried it about with him.'

'And why didn't you mention this before?'

'Because I hoped it wouldn't be necessary. It's not the nicest thing, you know, for my son to be brought up with his father's wrongdoings exposed in this way.'

'Very thoughtful of you. And also a very convenient explanation for what I regard as a seriously unhelpful attitude. Are you really asking us to believe that your husband was blackmailing his own father?'

'That's what I said.' I was beginning to become angry at his supercilious manner.

Wilkinson looked despairingly over at the Superintendent, who now spoke for the first time.

'The initials JP2 weren't also there by any chance were they?' he sneered.

'I'm sorry, I don't follow you.'

'Pope John Paul the Second. Quite frankly, your allegations are ridiculous and do you no credit. If your motive is to help Mr Radcliffe, you're not going the right way about it.'

Amy intervened before I could let fly. 'There's no need to be rude to my client. I expect you to follow up this particular line of enquiry. Unless you intend to charge my client, I must advise her not to answer any more questions.'

The officers looked at each other and shook their heads. 'No, that's all right. You can go for the moment, Mrs Pryde, after you sign the statement that we'll now prepare. I must warn you not to talk to anyone about this case or to try and get in touch with Mr Radcliffe. We'll have to check up about Saturday night.'

'You mean, talk to Freddie?' I started to panic.

'Unless someone else can corroborate what you've just told us.'

'Ralph, Ralph Elgar. He got up a couple of times and asked if he could help.'