“Speaking,” Daisy said reluctantly.
“Caller, do you wish to be connected?”
“Yes! She’ll do, for the moment.”
Thanks very much! Daisy said silently, leaning against the desk. “What can I do for you, Mr. Crane?”
“Tell me what’s going on,” he snapped. “The Worcestershire chief constable wired some cock and bull story about a series of accidents, which hardly seems enough to call for our services.”
“It probably isn’t. But now, one of the accidents has proved fatal, and Alec can hardly ignore it. He went to examine the body. Given how long he’s been gone, I shouldn’t be surprised if the local police surgeon is with him by now.”
“Who is the deceased?”
“A distant c-cousin of mine.” Daisy was annoyed to hear her voice wobble. She hadn’t even liked Raymond!
“My condolences, Mrs. Fletcher. I’m sorry, I didn’t realise your family were personally involved. Have all the accidents—”
“Yes. It’s a family gathering.” She started to explain the search for an heir.
“Your time is up, caller. Do you want another three minutes?”
“Yes, yes, as long as it takes. Go on, Mrs. Fletcher.”
Daisy tried to be brief. “So you see,” she finished, “they may be accidents or they may be … something else.”
“Hmmmm, yes. It does sound a bit much for the county force to handle. And since Fletcher is on the spot … Yes, if he’s willing to do a bit of investigating on his own time, I’ll talk to the AC about acceding to the CC’s request.”
“Could you send DS Tring and DS Piper?” Daisy knew Alec had wanted Ernie Piper, newly elevated to sergeant, and Tom Tring to lend a hand, even before Raymond’s death.
“Mrs. Fletcher, you’re not even sure whether a crime has been committed. We’re shorthanded, as usual. I can’t authorise seconding busy officers to sort out your family’s machinations. I’ll tell you what, though. If and when Fletcher has proof that a serious crime has been committed, I’ll see that he gets those two men.”
“Thank you, Mr. Crane.”
“I know they’re both accustomed to coping with your interfere … ah … presence in an investigation.”
“They’re both friends of mine,” Daisy said with dignity.
“Hmm. And don’t go putting yourself in danger.”
“Don’t worry, I won’t. It’s sweet of you to care.”
The superintendent made gargling noises. She could practically hear him blush. He mumbled something, then continued in a more characteristic sarcastic tone, “Thank you for casting a little light on what seems to be a thoroughly obscure situation. Perhaps you’d have the goodness to ask your husband to get in touch if he can find a spare moment.”
Daisy promised she would and they rang off.
What next? Oh yes, Geraldine and grovelling apologies.
TWENTY-THREE
Picking up Edgar’s letter from Tommy, Daisy glanced at the clock. Forty minutes since she had told Lowecroft half an hour. She hoped Geraldine wasn’t waiting for her somewhere else, adding tardiness to her causes for complaint.
But Geraldine came in, looking a bit frayed at the edges. She sank wearily into a chair by the desk. “I vow, if Vincent is Edgar’s heir and Laurette wants to move into Fairacres, I’m moving out! What was it you wanted to tell me, Daisy? Thank you, by the way, for coming home with Raymond.”
“I imagine Laurette told you about his fall.”
“Never stopped talking about it! How is he? I’ve been too busy since I got home to—Daisy! What is it?”
“Raymond. He … he died on the way home.”
“Oh, my dear!” Geraldine sprang up and swooped on Daisy to enfold her in her arms. It was a somewhat bony embrace, but for the first time Daisy could imagine her mothering Edgar’s pupils, not just disciplining them. “You shouldn’t have had to cope with that. I’m glad Alec came back to see what was going on. I presume he’s … dealing with things now?”
“Yes. I’m afraid he’s having to deal with it as a police matter.”
“As I anticipated. Sir Nigel said he was going to talk to the Assistant Commissioner at Scotland Yard about what’s been going on here. I would have expected the local police to manage, with Alec’s help. After all, what we described to him was just a string of odd accidents. Now that a death is involved, I’m glad he took that step.”
“I’ve just taken a call from Superintendent Crane, at the Yard. Alec’s officially on the case. I must go and tell him, but first … Geraldine, I’m most frightfully sorry.” She handed over the opened envelope. “I read Tommy’s letter to Edgar. Apparently it went to the bailiff by mistake so it was delayed, and it’s marked urgent, and neither you nor Edgar was here, and considering everything that’s happened, I decided … Shockingly bad form, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.”