‘Florrie always set the tone,’ said Ingles.
‘Jean wasn’t slow to assert herself,’ Harte reminded him.
‘My daughter liked to be in charge.’
‘Mine didn’t suffer from that defect, Brian.’
‘It’s not a defect,’ retorted Ingles. ‘It’s a fact of nature. Some of us are born to lead and the majority are born to follow. You’re a perfect instance of that, Reuben. Had you possessed a leader’s instinct, you’d now be a bank manager instead of a humble clerk who toils in the shadow of superiors.’
Harte was stung. ‘My job carries many responsibilities.’
‘You’d have even more if you’d had an ambitious streak.’
‘I’m not sure that this debate is at all useful,’ said Marmion, intervening before the acrimony developed. ‘Our thoughts should be with the victims and not with a petty squabble about who does what job.’
‘Thank you, Inspector,’ said Harte. ‘You’re right to chide us. I’m afraid that no conversation with Brian is complete without him reminding you that he has a very important position.’
‘There’s no point in hiding my light under a bushel,’ said Ingles.
‘You’re incapable of doing so.’
‘That’s an unnecessarily spiteful remark, Reuben.’
‘Then stop provoking me.’
‘With respect,’ said Marmion with a reproachful glance at each in turn, ‘each of you is as bad as the other. Common grief should unite you, not set you at each other’s throats. From everything I’ve heard about your daughters, my sense is that they were both exceptional young women in their own way. Maureen Quinn talked about them with great fondness. Florrie was very kind to her and Jean was involved in the football team with Maureen. Sport is one of the best ways for people to bond.’
‘We’re justly rebuked again,’ said Harte, ashamedly.
‘I apologise, Inspector,’ said Ingles. ‘We’re bickering like children.’
‘Nerves are bound to be frayed at a time like this, sir,’ said Marmion, glad that they’d both calmed down. ‘I suggest that we forget the whole thing.’ The other men exchanged a nod. ‘You’ve both been informed of the date of the inquest, I take it?’
‘Yes, we have. I’ll be interested to hear what Maureen will have to say.’
‘So will I,’ said Harte.
‘We’re still puzzled as to why she left the party early.’
‘Apparently,’ explained Marmion, ‘she was not feeling well.’
‘What a stroke of luck!’
‘Maureen doesn’t feel lucky, Mr Ingles — far from it. She’s very confused, of course, but she’s also contrite. She feels guilty that she survived when her friends didn’t. Like anyone in that situation, she wonders why she was spared.’
‘So do I,’ murmured Harte.
‘Well,’ said Ingles, consulting the watch he’d taken from his waistcoat pocket, ‘I must be off. I have an appointment with an estate agent.’
‘Are you thinking of selling your house?’ asked Marmion.
‘It’s … a possibility, Inspector. It never does any harm to keep abreast of current property values. I anticipate that our house will be worth a decent sum.’
‘Then why do you wish to leave?’
‘I like to keep my options open,’ said Ingles, evasively. He turned to his host. ‘Goodbye, Reuben. Bear in mind that you have to reach a decision by the end of the afternoon. It’s disrespectful to Mr Kennett to keep him waiting and we need to set arrangements in train. Weigh my arguments in the balance,’ he continued, ‘and you’ll accept that you simply must fall into line with the rest of us.’
‘We shall see,’ grunted Harte.
After trading farewells with Marmion, Ingles was shown out of the house by Harte. When the latter came back into the living room, he was obviously pleased that the other man had finally gone.
‘I’ve had quite an invasion today,’ he said.
Marmion prepared to leave. ‘Well, I won’t bother you any more, sir.’
‘That wasn’t a hint to you, Inspector. Given the news that you brought, you’re very welcome. It’s Brian Ingles’s visit I could have done without. He’s an invasion all by himself.’
‘Yes, he does like to take control, doesn’t he?’
‘I won’t be browbeaten by the likes of him. He was almost manic before you arrived to rescue me. He only calmed down when you told us about Wylie.’
‘I’m glad I was able to pour oil on troubled waters,’ said Marmion. ‘I must say that I find it odd that Mr Ingles is talking about selling his house at a time like this. I would have thought he had more pressing matters on his mind.’
‘It’s not the only thing that was odd,’ observed Harte. ‘My suggestion really upset him for some reason.’
‘What suggestion was that, sir?’
‘I just wondered if we might club together to commission some sort of memorial for the five victims. It needn’t be anything too elaborate but it would preserve their memory. If all five of us put in an equal amount,’ said Harte, ‘then the cost wouldn’t be prohibitive.’
‘Why was Mr Ingles upset by the idea?’
‘I can’t really say but it was decidedly odd. I mean, he has more money than the rest of us put together. I should know, Inspector — he’s a client of my bank.’
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
Having started work early that morning, Alice Marmion came off her shift in the middle of the afternoon. Instead of returning to her flat, she decided to call on her mother. Knowing that Ellen would not be at home, she went to the centre where a group of women were contributing to the war effort by knitting and sewing. They were absorbed in their work when Alice entered in police uniform. Her sudden appearance led to a flurry of concern. It was soon stilled. Delighted to see her daughter, Ellen was glad to be rescued from the tedium of her voluntary work. Over a snack in a nearby café, they were able to chat at leisure.
‘Thank you for coming to my aid,’ said Ellen.
‘I thought that you liked your Sewing Circle.’
‘Actually, we do more knitting than sewing and, yes, I do enjoy it as a rule. I’ve made some good friends there. Some of them are in the same boat as me with sons at the front. Mrs Fletcher, who runs the group, has all three of hers in France.’
‘She must be worried to death,’ said Alice.
‘She manages to hide her anxiety. What she can’t hide,’ confided Ellen, ‘is that she’s hopeless with a pair of knitting needles in her hands. You should see the socks that she produces. The wool is too coarse and the feet are always too small. But she’s a good-hearted woman so we daren’t criticise her.’
‘You won’t need to send any socks to Paul. You can give them to him.’
‘I know, Alice. I can’t wait for him to come home.’
‘Neither can I,’ said her daughter. ‘I just wish that I knew how he felt about me and Joe. I wanted him to be happy for us.’
‘And I’m sure that he is. All he can think about at the moment, however, is surviving the war. Casualties are mounting every day. That’s why I want him safe and sound at home.’
‘It’s only a short leave, Mummy,’ Alice reminded her.
‘Then we’ll have to make the most of it.’
They drank their tea and nibbled at their cakes. Ellen chuckled.
‘When you came through that door, I didn’t recognise you at first. I thought I was about to be arrested for knitting gloves that don’t fit.’ She squeezed Alice’s hand affectionately. ‘What have you been up to?’
‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.’
‘Why?’
‘I’ve been consorting with prostitutes.’
When she was told about the new assignment, Ellen was nonplussed.
‘I thought they were called “ladies of the night”. Are you telling me that they come out in the daytime as well?’
‘Don’t look so shocked,’ said Alice, laughing. ‘Apparently, it’s a twenty-four-hour profession. There’s a demand throughout the day.’