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almost perfect specimen for Skinner to work with. Better than that, it was a
.44 caliber. Even if Spatchcockhad lied and there didn t seem any reason for
him to do so then Mrs. Dumpty had killed her ex-husband with another gun. Not
out of the question, but out of the ordinary. The two facts together would be
enough to keep the investigation open.
Well, well. DS Mary.
She turned around quickly. Standing in the alleyway was Friedland Chymes.
Sir, she said, trying to hide her feelings of nervousness, and jumping
down, what are you doing here?
The same thing as you, I suspect, he replied. Trying to get to the bottom
of Humpty s death. What have you discovered?
She stared at him, and he stared back. She had stumbled, but she had not yet
fallen. She prayed she wouldn t blow it.
I spoke to Mr. Spatchcock this morning.
Chymes wasn t fazed for even a second. He smiled again.
You figured there was something hokey about the whole thing on your own,
Mary? I m very impressed. Jack s about to roll over and wee on himself in
Briggs s office, but you re out here hunting down the truth. I can t begin to
tell you how valuable I think you would be to my team.
Two hours earlier it would have been the single greatest compliment she d
ever received from anyone who wasn t her mother. But he hadn t answered her
question. And Mary always liked to have an answer.
When did you know that Humpty had been shot, sir?
Long before you, he said. Mrs. Singh is highly diligent too much so, to my
taste. She wanted to be a hundred percent sure of what she had before she
called you. Myself, I ll go with a seventy percent probability any day.
You knew, said Mary softly. You knew the evening before about the
shootingand about Spatchcock. You withheldcrucial evidence from our
investigation.
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No I didn t. And it would be very wrong and detrimental to your career if
you were to mention it again. Tell me what you know, Mary.
She paused for a moment, bit her lip and looked down the full gamut of
someone unable to come to a decision, and Friedland pounced.
I think you should tell me, he said a little more forcefully.
You should know that I generally get what I want and that people who help me
are rewarded. Conversely and contrariwise, people who withhold information
from me rarely last the course. I ll ask you once more, and I expect an
answer: What have you found?
She felt herself grow hot as he stared her down.
Do you really have space for me on the team?
We always need new blood, came Flotsam s voice from behind her. I think
it s in your best interest to tell the Guv nor what he needs to know. He ll
find out anyway, and then you will have thrown away the last chance of what
might have been a very worthwhile friendship.
I found the slug, she stammered at last. It s a .44. With Spatchcock s
evidence it s enough to keep the case open.
Chymes and Flotsam exchanged looks.
We concur. Bravo, Mary. We have underestimated you. A good DS is worth her
weight in gold, whoever she works for. Now, the question you have to ask
yourself is whatexactly are you going to do next? Think carefully. Your career
depends upon it.
She swallowed hard and held up her head. Well, I kind of thought I d call&
um, SOCO and& I don t know DI Spratt?
There was silence for a moment.
That s a very disappointing choice, Mary. You re new to all this, so I m
going to cut you some slack. These sorts of potentially high-profile crimes
are good for the justice system. For the most part, the public can t be
bothered to understand what we do, so there is nothing like a couple of
easy-to-understand, solved celebrity murders to keep them in the picture and
supportive of our efforts especially during the summer season. Police approval
always leaps up after the successful conclusion of one of my cases.
Are you saying I shouldn t call my DI?
Look at it this way, said Chymes as he glanced at his watch. It s ten to
ten. Jack will be speaking to Briggs on the hour. If you had found that slug a
half hour later, we wouldn t even need to have this conversation. I think it
would be better for all concerned that Jackdoesn t hear about the slug or
Spatchcock s statement until he has officiallyclosed the case. There is
nothing quite like one detective closing a case only for another to awaken it
with a dramatic flourish, don t you agree?
Is it really necessary to make Spratt look such an idiot?
Sprattis an idiot, Mary haven t you figured that out yet? Listen, the public
needs its heroes. And I want you on my team. We ve got the best facilities and
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the best cases the cream of not just the Oxford & Berkshire force but most of
the others, too. We often do international consultancies, and His Eminence the
Jellyman frequently asks for advice. Do you to want to meet the Jellyman,
Mary?
He put out his hand.
Here is my hand. Shake it and stand by my side. I won t offer it again.
Mary Mary working for Friedland Chymes. She had dreamed of this since she was
nine. She stared at Chymes with his winning smile and perfect teeth. It was
the easiest decision she ever made.
24. Briggs v. Spratt
MAN RECOGNIZES SUSPECT IN RECONSTRUCTION
Mr. James Tuffnel was in custody yesterday, having been recognized when he
appeared in a reconstruction during Network Toad s popularPerpCatch UK
program. He was spotted by eagle-eyed, public-spirited father of three Desmond
Miller. There was no doubt in my mind, said Mr. Miller at his home in
Morecambe Bay today, but the man in the armed-robbery reconstruction was
definitely an actor that I had seen once before in a custard commercial.
Out-of-work actor Mr. Tuffnel remained unrepentant and told us, Okay, I admit
that I did it. I m not proud of myself, but I need the money. I haven t worked
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