‘Balaclavas with holes for the eyes and mouth. Black T-shirts and jeans. They were brandishing black revolvers. The first of them, the man who interrupted the auction, was the only one who spoke. He shouted, “Nobody move.” When I protested, he told me to shut up. He said if we all remained where we were no one would get hurt. I said it was intolerable and he told me once again to shut it, as he crudely put it.’
‘You’d know his voice again, would you?’
‘I can hear it now in my head. There was a definite trace of the West Country in the accent.’
‘Anything memorable about his build?’
Doggart shook his head. ‘A bit above average in height. Quite slim.’
‘And the others?’
‘Similar.’
‘You were defiant at the start, but you soft-pedalled soon after. You told the professor to let them be.’
‘By then I’d seen how real the threat was. I was doing my best to control a dangerous situation — unsuccessfully, as it turned out.’
‘Was it deliberate, do you think? Was it always their intention to shoot him?’
He hesitated, as if playing the words over. ‘That has never occurred to me. At the time it seemed very clear that Gildersleeve contributed to his own death by taking them on.’
‘They panicked?’
‘He panicked and so did they.’
‘Which was why they fled without taking the stone?’
‘That was my reading of it.’
The stress was showing in the second car as well. Ingeborg had been muttering for some time about being forced to brake repeatedly when they were on an open road with no sign of an obstruction. ‘This is going to take till the end of the century. If we got out and walked we’d get there quicker. He’s got the horsepower. Why doesn’t he use it?’
‘Don’t blame George the driver,’ Halliwell said. ‘He’ll be under instructions.’
‘Would the boss kick up if we overtook? We know where we’re going. We could be there and get a coffee before they arrive.’
‘I wouldn’t risk it. He was all smiles when we started out. That’s worth encouraging.’
‘I noticed. He hasn’t stopped smiling since Paul appeared.’
‘There’s more on his mind, I think.’
‘Is it because he’s finally getting shot of the Wife of Bath? She was the bane of his life at one point.’
‘That’s part of it, for sure, but the main thing is he’s ready to wrap up the case.’
Her voice shrilled in surprise. ‘Really? Did he tell you?’
Halliwell dug into his pocket and pulled out a pair of handcuffs. ‘He asked me to bring these.’
She took a glance and then a longer look and almost hit the trailer in front. ‘Who for? Did he say?’
‘Likes to keep us in suspense, doesn’t he?’
‘Denis Doggart?’
‘Don’t know. It’s a bit extreme even by his standards, taking the guy all the way to Bridgwater to pinch him.’
‘Thinking about it,’ Ingeborg said, ‘sitting in the back of the Land Rover with Doggart for an hour or more—’
‘At least an hour or more.’
‘—it’s an ideal chance to question him.’
‘He could do it at the station.’
‘Not in such a relaxed way.’
Halliwell laughed.
‘What’s so funny?’ she asked.
‘Would you be relaxed, sitting beside the guv’nor all the way to Bridgwater?’
‘Possibly not. I’m stuck with you instead.’ She watched the two heads through the rear window of the Land Rover. ‘I’d be surprised if Doggart does get pinched. He’s the only suspect we know who couldn’t have fired the fatal shot.’
‘That wouldn’t have stopped him setting the whole thing up,’ Halliwell said. ‘You said he lost a load of money when Gildersleeve rubbished his Chaucer portrait. As the auctioneer, he was better placed than anyone to oversee the hold-up.’
‘The whole thing was staged, you mean?’
‘He would have known the professor was going to be a main bidder. What sweet revenge to watch the prize being snatched away from his enemy just as the bidding was coming to an end.’
‘So was the shooting staged as well?’
‘I don’t think so. It all went wrong. But the man who hired the robbers is as guilty as the guy who pulled the trigger.’
‘And at this minute the boss is teasing the truth out of him?’
‘It wouldn’t surprise me.’
‘There could be other factors.’
‘A history between Doggart and Gildersleeve?’
‘If it’s there, he’ll find it,’ Ingeborg said. ‘As a matter of fact, he made sure I brought cuffs as well.’
In the Volvo, Erica asked Monica, ‘Why are we going so slowly?’
‘It must be Mr. Diamond’s idea of respect.’
‘What for?’
Monica caressed the side of the urn. ‘You mean “Who for?” My poor John, of course.’
‘This isn’t the funeral,’ Erica said. ‘We had that. Even hearses go faster than this between towns. We’ll be hours getting to Petherton Park at this rate.’
‘We’re making a stop at Bridgwater first, to unload the carving.’
‘That doesn’t show much respect. I thought the purpose of the trip was to scatter the ashes.’
‘He told me what he planned to do. He’s doing me a favour by showing me the site. We have to go through Bridgwater to get to North Petherton.’
‘We could have stopped there on the way back.’
‘I don’t suppose it will delay us much. Besides, we haven’t got to be there at a particular time.’
‘They ought to have more consideration. It’s a sad duty you have to perform and this prolongs it.’
‘I don’t think of it as sad,’ Monica said. ‘I’m taking him where he would most like to be, close to Chaucer.’
‘The last I heard, Chaucer was buried in Westminster Abbey.’
‘Did he fix a time for the handover at the museum?’ Ingeborg asked.
‘I expect so. Tomorrow, at the rate we’re moving.’
‘How are we doing? I’m on automatic here.’
‘Soon be at Wells. Roughly halfway.’
‘Only as far as that? I’m getting dangerously close to boiling point.’
‘You’re dangerously close to the trailer again. God knows what would happen if we gave it a nudge.’
She shook with laughter. ‘Chunks of old limestone all over the road, that’s what, and the guv’nor dodging in and out of the traffic trying to rescue them.’
‘It doesn’t bear thinking about,’ Halliwell said.
‘It’s hilarious. And if Monica got out to help and tipped the ashes over…’
‘Is Monica still with us?’ He turned in his seat. ‘She is. You’re going to tell me she and her sister were two of the robbers with their hair tucked into the balaclava masks.’
‘I have to say I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘Is this what today is all about? Are we nicking Monica and Erica after they finish scattering the ashes?’
‘How many pairs of handcuffs did you bring?’
‘The building on the right that looks like a church is Chilton Priory,’ Diamond announced. ‘It used to be a museum. The Wife of Bath was an exhibit there in early Victorian times.’
Denis Doggart said in what was plainly meant to be a crushing retort, ‘It’s not unknown to me. I mentioned it in the sale catalogue.’
But Diamond rose above it. ‘So you did. Thought you might not have noticed. It means we’re coming into Bridgwater shortly.’
Doggart twisted in his seat, unable to contain himself any longer. ‘What’s the real reason I’m here, Mr. Diamond?’
‘If you haven’t worked it out by now, I’m surprised. But I’ll tell you.’