Khan looked at me sharply. ‘You really believe one of us killed James?’
‘Who else is there?’ I said.
Sylvia suddenly stabbed an accusing finger at me. Her raised voice was sharp, even spiteful. ‘Everything was fine here until you arrived! Come on, people; he’s the only one here that none of us knows! Does anyone know him from before?’
‘He found James’ body!’ said Penny.
‘Is that supposed to clear him?’ said Roger.
‘If he was the murderer, he only had to leave his kill hidden,’ Penny said coldly, throwing off Roger’s protective arm.
‘And given the state of the body, James must have been dead for some time,’ said Jeeves. ‘Long before Ishmael turned up.’
‘He could have been … outside, skulking around,’ said Khan. ‘Killed James, and then hid outside, before making his appearance.’
‘Not in this weather, he couldn’t,’ said Jeeves. ‘No; I would have to say that in my professional opinion, Ishmael is the least likely suspect.’
‘But isn’t that who the killer always turns out to be, in murder mysteries?’ said Diana, with a short, bitter laugh. ‘I feel like a character in an Agatha Christie novel! Which is never good for a minor character …’
‘I am not a minor character!’ Melanie said immediately. ‘Walter; tell that woman I am not a minor character!’
‘I never read any of the novels,’ said Penny. ‘Though I did follow most of the stories on television …’
‘Same here,’ I said. ‘Which Miss Marple did you prefer? I always had a soft spot for Geraldine McEwan, myself.’
‘She was far too nice,’ said Penny.
‘Yes,’ I said. ‘That’s what I liked about her.’
Jeeves cleared his throat meaningfully, and we all turned to look at him. ‘If we could keep to the matter at hand … Ishmael; you had time to study James’ body. How do you think he was killed?’
‘You all saw the severed head,’ I said. ‘It looked to me like his head had been sawed off.’
Walter flinched. Everyone reacted, even Jeeves.
‘You can’t just say things like that!’ protested Melanie. She pressed a hand to her mouth, as though to keep from being sick.
‘Why not?’ I said. ‘That’s what happened. There were no other obvious wounds. It seems likely he was drugged, or otherwise incapacitated, and then his head was cut off afterwards. Much more likely than a fight. The Colonel was quite capable of looking out for himself. I can’t see why the killer felt the need to cut off the head … Normally, that’s done to help prevent identification … But here, the head was left with the body. Strange …’
‘I still want to know: who locked the front door?’ Penny said loudly.
‘What?’ said Walter. ‘What are you talking about, girl?’
‘When Ishmael and I came back from our walk, with James’ body, the front door was locked!’ said Penny. ‘If Jeeves hadn’t heard us yelling and let us in …’
‘We could have died,’ I said.
No one admitted to locking the door.
‘Wait a minute!’ said Walter. ‘I’ve just thought of something! The killer could be hiding in one of the outbuildings! In one of the guest cottages!’
‘We already looked at the cottages, Daddy,’ said Penny. ‘We didn’t see anyone.’
‘But we only looked inside the tithe barn,’ I said. ‘We didn’t go inside any of the cottages. There were no lights on, no obvious signs of occupation or forced entry … but the cottages should certainly be searched at some point. When the weather permits.’
‘I will do that, if it needs doing,’ Jeeves said immediately. ‘I am a professional bodyguard. And I have a gun.’
‘But you work for Walter,’ I said. ‘Who, I regret to say, could be a suspect. Who knows what orders you’re following? I worked for the Colonel, which means I am the only one here with no motive to want him dead.’
‘How do we know that?’ said Khan, his voice rising. ‘We have no idea what your real relationship with James was like! A lot of people have good reason to want their boss dead. What did you do for the Colonel? What exactly is your job, Ishmael?’
‘I protect the innocent and punish the guilty,’ I said.
‘Oh, that’s not vague at all,’ said Roger. ‘Who are you really, Ishmael?’
‘If you find out,’ I said, ‘let me know.’
Melanie turned abruptly to Jeeves. ‘Lock all the doors, front and back! And make sure all the windows and shutters are properly secure! I don’t want anyone outside getting into the house!’
‘I have already done that,’ said Jeeves.
‘Well … do it again!’ said Melanie.
Walter nodded to Jeeves. ‘Probably best to check. If only to reassure people … And you’d better go down to the kitchen and tell Cook what’s going on.’
‘Of course, sir,’ said Jeeves. He strode off down the hallway, disappearing into the dark depths of the house. Everyone looked at everyone else, trying to decide whether they felt safer or not, now the man with the gun was gone.
Walter just sent his bodyguard away, I thought. Leaving him unprotected. And Jeeves didn’t even argue. I just missed something … What did I miss?
‘I think we should all go to our own rooms, and lock the doors, and barricade ourselves in, and wait till the police arrive!’ said Melanie.
‘No,’ I said immediately. ‘Not a good idea. Being on your own is the best way to get picked off. The killer could go quietly from room to room, kill everyone, and then just leave.’
‘That’s a horrible thought!’ said Sylvia.
‘What do you suggest, Ishmael?’ said Penny.
‘We should all stay together,’ I said. ‘In one room, with one easily defended door. Where we can all watch and protect each other.’
Everyone seemed to like the sound of that. Safety in numbers is always a comfort.
‘Wait! I just thought!’ said Sylvia. ‘The murderer could already be gone! I mean; if he killed James out in the garden, he might never have come inside the house. He could have murdered James, hidden the body, and then left the gardens by … whatever way he got in! Why would he hang around? The snow would cover up whatever tracks he left …’
‘She’s got a point,’ said Walter. ‘Good thinking, girl!’
They all began to smile, and relax, for the first time. Everyone liked the sound of this new idea. They wanted to believe it. Because it meant the killer was gone, so they didn’t have to worry any more … and because it meant one of them didn’t have to be a killer, after all.
Khan looked at me, scowling thoughtfully. ‘James did have enemies. Someone could have followed him here.’
‘Yes,’ I said. I was about to point out that the Colonel couldn’t have been killed where he was found, because there was no blood pool, but I decided to keep that to myself. Let the killer think themselves safe.
‘I think we should have dinner as planned,’ Walter said loudly. ‘And talk things through. Don’t you, eh? All of you? I think we’ll all feel a lot better with some good hot food and drink inside us.’
They were all nodding and smiling. I was quietly amazed they could contemplate just sitting down to dinner, so soon after a sudden violent death. But I said nothing. Let the killer think suspicion had passed. I’d still be watching.
Six
Walter and Melanie led the way down the hall, and we all just followed on behind. As though it was just another dinner, and just another day, and no one had died who mattered. Roger was still sticking close to Penny, who didn’t have the heart to brush him off. Khan was right behind them, trying to attract Roger’s attention so they could continue their conversation. To his credit, Roger was having none of it. Not as long as he thought Penny needed him. Everyone was all talking loudly and cheerfully, as though they could drive back the dark if they only made enough noise. Diana and Sylvia walked together, apparently inseparable, until Diana stopped abruptly and looked back at me, bringing up the rear. She gestured for me to wait, and then smiled apologetically at Sylvia.