Gascoigne was perturbed by the story.
“A dangerous, spiteful boy,” he said at its conclusion; “but why should he select James for this tale? James had nothing against poor Davy, had he?”
“No. The fact is that James, at the beginning of his time here, had occasion to reprimand Kirk in a somewhat trenchant and forceful manner.”
“Oh? Why was that?”
“Kirk uttered an obscenity in front of a mixed class taking French.”
“I see. I will speak to Kirk and order him to recant. We cannot have these slanderous accusations being bandied around the College. I need hardly say that I have every confidence in James. Nobody who knows him would place a scrap of credence in this wretched boy’s story.”
“It might be as well for the police to hear it when they visit us again,” said Henry. He turned to Dame Beatrice. “Don’t you agree?”
“I think you are right. It is better that they should hear it from us than that it should come to them in a roundabout way from a student.”
“I think it might be better to let the story die a natural death, once I have interviewed Kirk and made him retract his accusation,” said the Warden.
“In any case, nothing will be of very much importance until we know the verdict following the inquest,” said Dame Beatrice.
“The verdict can be anticipated. It must surely be that of accidental death, followed by panic on the part of the student who caused it,” said the Warden. “All I am still hoping is that Dame Beatrice’s researches will uncover the unhappy culprit before the inquest takes place. It will save a great deal of trouble if we can help the coroner in such a way.”
Dame Beatrice pursed up her little mouth and shook her head. The Warden’s expression changed. His unctuous look was replaced by one of concern and gravity.
“You do not agree?” he asked.
“I do not think it is our business to help the coroner. He would not appreciate our facing him with what he might regard as a fait accompli,” Dame Beatrice replied. “What is more, I feel certain that Master Kirk does know something important about Mr. Jones’s death, whether it concerns Hamish or not.”
“Well, he’s an accomplished little snooper,” said Henry, “so it’s quite likely he’s seen or heard something, I suppose. He certainly knows that James and I went to the stoke-hole that night.”
chapter
9
Speeches off the Record
« ^ »
I say,” said Martin to Hamish, when the meeting had broken up and they were back in Martin’s room, “is that handsome, fit-looking woman really your mother?”
“So she has always told me. I am not at all flattered by your surprise and doubt.”
“No offence. She doesn’t look old enough, that’s all. Tell me, what do you really think about this Jonah business?”
“I think it was murder, premeditated, and carried out in cold blood.”
“But by whom?”
“Well, in a way, Medlar would be the likeliest suspect, I suppose, being next of kin and all that.”
“That might be all right if it had been the other way about.”
“How do you mean?”
“Well, I thought you murdered your rich relations, not your hangers-on. Jonah hadn’t a bean except his salary. He was always making indirect allusions to the fact that his sister had left every penny to Gassie.”
“Well, being her husband, naturally Medlar would expect to come in for what she had to leave. I see no hardship for Jones in that.”
“According to Jonah, she could have left him a few thousands and Gassie would never have missed them.”
“Oh, well, if it was her money I suppose she had the right to do as she liked with it, and a husband or wife usually has the first claim.”
“It was money which her parents had left her, though, and Jonah thought some of it—the bulk of it, in fact—should have come to him, not her.”
“Why didn’t it? He was the son. It seems to me that it speaks for itself. I suppose the parents realised what a weak and vicious specimen he was.”
“Vicious, maybe, but would you call him weak? He seems to have had Gassie well tied up. I mean, I know they were related and that Jones had done him some big favour or other in the past, but it isn’t Gassie’s style to let anything like that stand in the way of his reputation.”
“You mean the reputation he gained through the College, I suppose. L’état, c’est moi. That kind of thing.”
“Well, given a few more Berthas, Joynings’s name would soon be mud. It’s no longer the fashion to get the maids into trouble and then sack them.”
“Was Bertha sacked?”
“I don’t know, but she had to leave, so it comes to the same thing in the end.”
“Well, hardly, but I see what you mean.”
“Why does Gassie want that terrifying old lady to vet the students?”
“That terrifying old lady is my godmother, so watch what you have to say about her. I think he meant exactly what he said. It will give the students something else to think and gossip about, besides Jones’s death.”
“Funny that she and your mother should have picked this day of all days to visit you here.”
“Coincidences do occur,” said Hamish, who had decided not to be drawn, even by his friend, into admitting that Dame Beatrice was at the College because he had asked her to investigate what appeared to be a case of murder.
This was not the only conversation between members of the staff which was going on at the time.
“I don’t much like it,” said Barry to Jerry.
“Don’t like what?”
“That old lady is a witch and, if you ask me, this is going to be a witch-hunt.”
“That means witches being hunted. They didn’t do the hunting. As a matter of fact, I know all about her. She isn’t only a psychiatrist. She’s a brilliantly successful smeller-out of murderers.”
“So what?”
“Well, you don’t think Jonah’s death was accidental, do you?”
“I most certainly do, and I suggest you begin thinking the same and convincing yourself that you’re right.”
Jerry was silent and looked thoughtful. Then he said, awkwardly, “Well, anyway, I think you and Lesley both ought to watch your step.”
Barry turned on him and angrily demanded, “Look here, what do you mean by that?”
“All right. I’m talking as a pal, Barry, old man, so don’t take umbrage. Just cast your mind back a bit and think things over. You and Lesley have both opened your mouths a lot too wide, if you ask me,” said Jerry firmly.
“But, good lord! I mean, nobody would think I’d do Jones in because of what happened to Colin!”
“No, not because of that in itself, but you’ve made a few threatening remarks from time to time and people remember these things, particularly when the police begin questioning them.”
“Oh, to hell with the police! All that we have to do is to stick to the theory of accident. A student, fooling about with a javelin, killed Jones and that’s the beginning and the end and the long and the short of it.”
“What about the burial in the long-jump pit? Doesn’t that look like guilt?”
“Put it down to panic, that’s the safest bet.”
“Well, yes, one might get away with that. I can well understand that you don’t want your name connected with long-jump pits more than it is already.”
“I’m damned if I can think what you mean!”
“Well, think a bit harder. The police are going to hear all about Colin, you know, and they’re not going to let up until they’ve got to the bottom of what actually happened to Jonah. And what happened to Jonah was murder. I’m certain of that.”
“Very well, stick your neck out and tell everybody, only don’t be surprised if you get your head chopped off. As for me, much as I detested Jonah, I don’t even know how to throw a javelin, damn it!”