Reginald Hill

Thank you,’ said Landor. ‘ this is not a formal meeting so there will be no minutes either read, or taken. But as far as possible I suggest we stick to our usual modes of procedure. Most of you will know, by sight at least, Superintendent Dalziel. He has kindly agreed to come along today to put us in the picture, as it were. Everyone here will be aware of the double set of tragic circumstances which have necessitated his presence in the college. However, it is often difficult to separate truth from rumour and the better informed we are, the better informed the student body will be. Superintendent Dalziel.”

Dalziel stood up heavily and viewed his audience. Up until this moment he had had no real idea of what he was going to say. Now, faced by this polite blank of faces, he reacted to their common denominator (bloody clever bastards, all of ‘, he thought mockingly) by selecting a role Pascoe would have recognized with an inward groan. The blunt, unsubtle policeman.

“I’ll be brief,’ he said. ‘ things first. The remains found in the college garden on Wednesday have been identified as those of Miss. Girling, the former principal of this college. We are treating it as a case of murder.” He paused. One or two shifted slightly in their chairs. Miss. Disney’s face was a mask of stoically-borne grief.

“Yesterday, Thursday, the naked body of a student, Anita Sewell, was found in the dunes by the golf course. She had died of asphyxiation as a result of having her face forced down into the sand some time late on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning. She had not been sexually assaulted. This too we are treating as murder.” He paused again. Now there was a general shifting of position. Several cigarettes were lit. Halfdane leaned over to Henry Saltecombe and said something. The older man nodded vigorously. A man recognized from Pascoe’s description as George Dunbar was smiling faintly with the complacent look of one to whom this was all very old stuff. He couldn’t spot Fallowfield at all, but the pretty woman sitting between Marion Cargo and Halfdane (triumphantly?) was possibly Pascoe’s old mate.

Miss. Disney opened her mouth to speak. He let the first syllable get out, then continued, overriding her without a glance in her direction.

“I’ve told you nothing you won’t read in the newspapers. Probably have read already. But it’s often useful to have it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak.”

A slight ripple of laughter.

“You’re the people who ought to know. You’re the ones who can reassure the students here.”

“You haven’t really given us much to reassure them with, Superintendent.’ It was Halfdane. ‘ don’t you propose to talk to them direct? After all, they’re just as important as we in this institution.

Perhaps more so.”

A couple of mutters of agreement. More indignant snorts.

“I can’t talk to them all at once. Not without turning it into a rally.

In any case, you’re the ones who are paid to talk to these youngsters.

You’re their teachers.”

Halfdane started up again indignantly, but Dunbar beat him to it.

Tell me, when did you find out it was Miss. Girling in the garden?” This was confirmed on Wednesday evening,’ said Dalziel. ‘?”

“I just wondered how half the college seemed to have this information on Wednesday afternoon?”

Dalziel nodded for the want of anything else to do.

“You mean, staff?”

“I mean students.”

There was a confirmatory murmur from half a dozen places in the room.

“You surprise me,’ said Dalziel. ‘ Miss. Girling died nearly six years ago, I should have thought it unlikely that any student could have known anything about it.”

The implications of the stress were caught immediately, but Dalziel was not impressed by this display of sharpness of wit. Anyone with half a mind must have realized days earlier that he’d be interested in the old-established members of staff.

Landor obviously decided he must take back control of the meeting.

“Thank you, Superintendent. I know we will all assist you in every way we can. What is important I think is that we carry on as normal, and I know that you will be eager to assist us in this.” “Of course,’ said Dalziel, still standing. ‘ our work comes first.

Let’s be clear about that. Disruption of your work is unfortunate.

Disruption of mine amounts to obstruction of the law.”

Again the raised eyebrows bit, the exchange of glances, the pursing of lips. Henry Saltecombe stood up waving his pipe apologetically, scattering warm embers over his neighbours.