The Circle

'He seemed to think it was all right, but when I pressed him about possible publication, he backtracked fast and said he'd have to show it to someone else.'

'So did you let him keep it?'

'No, and I'm glad I didn't. It would have been lost in the fire.'

'You picked it up at the end?'

'Yes, it was stacked on the table with the others.'

'Did he say any more?'

'He was busy with Tudor. I collected mine and Miss Snow's. She asked me to. She was busy handing out competition leaflets.'

'You must have felt a bit down at the end.'

'I'm used to it. There's no sense in building up your hopes.'

'So with the benefit of hindsight you were right. It was a mistake inviting Blacker to the circle.'

She nodded. 'But he'd still have pulled the rug from under Maurice.'

'Ah, yes.' Shilling gave the smile that said he had a good card to play. 'You were one of the first to know about that, weren't you?'

'What — the fact that he reneged on his agreement to publish?'

'Is that why he was killed, Miss Bumstead?'

Her voice shook a little. 'How would I know? I can't answer that question.'

'Certain people heard how badly he'd treated Maurice the same day it happened, before the fire, and you were one of them. Thomasine O'Loughlin spoke to you about five that afternoon.'

'You're well informed.'

'How did you spend the evening?'

'Doing some ironing and taking a bath. I was too troubled to write. You need to be in the right frame of mind.'

'You did nothing about Blacker?'

'What could I have done?'

'You didn't go out later that night?'

'Of course not.'

'Do you have a theory as to who the arsonist was?'

'If I did I wouldn't divulge it to you. My thoughts on the matter have no relevance whatsoever.'

'I can't agree with that. I'd say you're a shrewd lady.'

'Perhaps that's why I won't be drawn.'

Shilling felt he was losing this one. Two nil down at half-time. 'I want to ask you about Miss Snow. I dare say you feel worse about her death than Blacker's.'

'She was one of us, so I would.'

'One of the founder members?'

'Not quite, but she joined soon after.'

'A valued member?'

'She brought some organisation to our circle. She was a conscientious secretary and a treasurer we could all trust'

'Functions you could have performed, with your experience.'

'Possibly, but rather selfishly I wanted to participate fully in the meetings, not take notes and collect subscriptions. Miss Snow played only a muted part in the discussions.'

'No one disliked her?'

'How would I know that? I'm not a mind-reader. From my point of view there was nothing you could dislike about her.'

'As secretary, did she have any secrets, anything on the members?'

'I doubt it. She knew if anyone owed money, but the dues aren't excessive. We pay two pounds for each meeting we attend. When anyone is short, they can give an IOU.'

'After the fire at Blacker's cottage, and Maurice McDade's arrest, you linked up with Thomasine O'Loughlin and Bob Naylor to try and prove Mr McDade was innocent.'

'Certainly.'

'Why those two?'

'Because Thomasine shared my sense of outrage, and she's a good ally, very astute.'

'And Naylor? He'd only just met McDade for the first time.'

'Thomasine thought he would be a help. We needed a man, really, and none of the others were suitable. Tudor can't disguise his jealousy of Maurice, Anton has no tact, Basil is under Naomi's thumb and Zach is, well, a bit immature.'

If she can sum up men as pithily as that, Shilling thought, she's probably got me pigeon-holed as well.

'You'd had long enough to give Naylor the once-over.'

'Thomasine said he was kosher.'

'Is she Jewish?'

'I don't think so. It's the way she talks. I knew what she meant and I respect her judgement. She and Bob did all the questioning.'

'They didn't invite you?'

'Three people on one's doorstep would have been too many.'

'One is too many if you've got a guilty conscience.'

At the end of the interview Shilling found himself thinking it was a smart move on the parts of Thomasine and Bob, taking it on themselves to question other people in the circle as if they themselves had no case to answer.

Stella had already run through the set questions with Bob Naylor. He hadn't been present at the crucial meeting of the circle when Blacker addressed them, hadn't joined the circle at that stage, hadn't even heard of Blacker.

He said.

But hell's bells, had he made up for lost time! Borrowed the video from Miss Snow. Joined forces with Thomasine O'Loughlin and Dagmar Bumstead to try and establish McDade's innocence. Questioned Mrs McDade and just about everyone else. Gained the confidence of Miss Snow. Gone in her place to the boat house. Made a voluntary statement to DC Shilling. Got himself elected as press spokesman.

A right busybody.

'And on top of everything else you're a writer?' Stella said.

'Trying to be,' he said.

'Books, is it?'

'Christ, no. I fool around with bits of rhyming stuff, that's all.'

'Are you going to give me a sample?'

'No way. It's pathetic'

So he wanted coaxing. Stella only ever played the wheedling woman in the cause of duty. 'Go on, I'd really like to hear a sample.'

He sighed. 'Don't know if you'll get this. I was playing about with some lines while I was waiting.' He fished in his back pocket and took out what looked like a cheap diary.

'Eleven local writers

Lead the cops a dance.

Who's for an excuse-me?

No chance.'

'Not bad,' Stella said, 'but it dates you. Anyone under forty wouldn't know what an excuse-me is.'

'Tell me about it. I have a daughter of fourteen. They should come with phrase books.'

'What does your wife think of your writing?'

'She died.'

Whoops. A pause for respect. 'Sorry. Let's talk about what's been happening since you made your statement to DC Shilling. There was a meeting, right?'

'Yeah, and I was dropped in it and made press officer. I'm not even a paid-up member and they want me as their spokesman.'

'Which you do very well. What else was decided?'

'Not much. Two of the party left early.'

'Zach and Naomi.'

'If you know it all, why ask me?'

'So why did they leave?'

'I do remember one thing we agreed,' Bob said, 'and that was not to slag off fellow members of the circle.'

He could bat for England, this one. 'But you just told me you're not a member.'

'Nice try, but I like these people — all of them. I've got to know them quite well, their hopes and fears.'

'One of them is almost certainly a murderer.'

'Okay — and ten of them aren't. Until I know which one, I'm going to respect them all.'

You still see yourself as an amateur sleuth, do you?'

He took in a sharp breath and it was no more than a stage effect. 'Bit sarky, that. I was only helping out, like. This was before you and your boss took over. No disrespect, but the police work wasn't up to much.'

'They weren't getting cooperation from everyone. You didn't report the fire at the boat house.'

'Did.'

'Eventually — only after Miss Snow was dead. If you'd come forward earlier they might have saved her life.'

'How?'

'They could have warned her to be careful.'

'That Inspector Cherry? He didn't give a toss when I tried to talk to him. He couldn't find his arse with both hands, that one.'

She should have said something in Johnny's defence. Just couldn't find the words. All she managed was, 'Leave the sleuthing to us, Mr Naylor. We don't want any more people going up in flames.'