Death Is Now My Neighbour Part 10

'To me? I'm always going to be attracted to a woman with not much on. And, as I remember, most of what she'd got on that day was mostly off, if you follow me.'

'So she'd have a lot of boyfriends?'

'She was the sort of woman men would l.u.s.t after, yes.'

'Did you?'

'Let's put it this way, Inspector. If she'd invited me to bed that afternoon, I'd've sprinted up the stairs.' 'But she didn't invite you?' 'No.'

'Did she invite other men?'

'I doubt it. Not in Bloxham Drive, anyway. We don't just have Neighbourhood Watch here; we've got a continuous Nosey-Parker Surveillance Scheme.'

'Even in the early morning?'

'As I told you, somebody saw me go to work on Monday morning.'

'You think others may have done?' 'b.l.o.o.d.y sure they did!'

Morse switched tack again. "You wouldn't remember - recognize - any of her occasional boyfriends?' 'No.'

'Have you heard of a man called Julian Storrs?' Yes.'

You know him?'

'Not really, no. But he's from Lonsdale, and I interviewed him for the Oxford Mail Oxford Mail last year - December, I think it was - when he gave the annual Pitt Rivers Lecture. On Captain Cook, as I recall. I'd never realized how much the natives hated that fellow's guts - you know, in the Sandwich Islands or somewhere.' last year - December, I think it was - when he gave the annual Pitt Rivers Lecture. On Captain Cook, as I recall. I'd never realized how much the natives hated that fellow's guts - you know, in the Sandwich Islands or somewhere.'

'I forget,' said Morse, as if at some point in his life he had had known ... known ...

At his local grammar school, the young Morse had been presented with a choice of the 3 Gs: Greek, Geography, or German. And since Morse had joined the Greek option, his knowledge of geography had ever been fatally flawed. Indeed, it was only in his late twenties that he had discovered that the Balkan States and the Baltic States were not synonymous. Yet about Captain Cook's voyages Morse should (as we shall see) have known at least a little - did did know a little - since his father had adopted that renowned British navigator, explorer, and cartographer as his greatest hero in life - unlike (it seemed) the natives of those 'Sandwich Islands or somewhere'.. . know a little - since his father had adopted that renowned British navigator, explorer, and cartographer as his greatest hero in life - unlike (it seemed) the natives of those 'Sandwich Islands or somewhere'.. .

'You never saw Mr Storrs in Bloxham Drive?'

In their sockets, Owens' eyes shot from bottom left to top right, like those of a deer that has suddenly sniffed a predator.

'Never. Why?'

'Because' (Morse leaned forward a few inches as he summoned up all his powers of creative ingenuity) 'because someone in the Drive - this is absolutely confidential, sir! - says that he was seen, fairly recently, going into, er, another house there.'

'Which house?' Owens' voice was suddenly sharp. house?' Owens' voice was suddenly sharp.

Morse held up his right hand and got to his feet. 'Just a piece of gossip, like as not. But we've got to check out every lead, you know that.'

Owens remained silent "You've always been a journalist?'

'Yes.'

'Which papers ... ?' 'I started in London.' 'Whereabouts?' 'Soho - around there.' 'When was that5' 'Mid-seventies.'

'Wasn't that when Soho was full of s.e.x clubs and striptease joints?'

'And more. Gets a bit boring, all that stuff though, after a time.' more. Gets a bit boring, all that stuff though, after a time.'

'Yes. So they tell me.'

'I read your piece today in the Oxford Mail,' Oxford Mail,' said Morse as the two men walked towards reception. 'You write well.' said Morse as the two men walked towards reception. 'You write well.'

'Thank you.'

'I can't help remembering you said "comparatively" crime-free area.'

'That was in yesterday's.' 'Oh.'

'Well ... we've only had one burglary this last year, and we've had no joy-riders around since the council put the sleeping-policemen in. We still get a bit of mindless vandalism, of course - you'll have seen the young trees we tried to plant round the back. And litter - litter's always a problem - and graffiti ... And someone recently unscrewed most of the latches on the back gates - you know, the things that click as the gates shut.'

'I didn't know there was a market for those,' muttered Morse.

'And you're wasting your time if you put up a name for your house, or something like that. I put a little notice on my front gate. Lasted exactly eight days. Know what it was?'

Morse glanced back at the corporate work-force seated in front of VDU screens at desks cluttered with in-trays, out-trays, file-cases, handbooks, and copy being corrected and cosseted before inclusion in forthcoming editions of Oxford's own Times, Mail, Journal, Star... Times, Mail, Journal, Star...

'"No Free Newspapers"?' he suggested sotto voce. sotto voce.

Morse handed in his Visitor badge at reception.

You'll need to give me another thing to get out with.'

'No. The barrier lifts automatically when you leave.' 'So once you're in ...'

She smiled. You're in! It's just that we used to get quite a few cars from the Industrial Estate trying it on.'

Morse turned left into the Botley Road and drove along to the Ring-Road junction where he took the northbound A34, coming off at the Pear Tree Roundabout, and thence driving rather too quickly up the last stretch to Kidlington HQ - where he looked at his wrist.w.a.tch again.

Nine and a half minutes. Only nine and a half minutes.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data (Conan Doyle, Scandal in Bohemia) Scandal in Bohemia) As MORSE CLIMBED the stairs to Lewis's office he was experiencing a deep ache in each of his calves. the stairs to Lewis's office he was experiencing a deep ache in each of his calves.

'Hardest work I've done today, that!' he admitted as, panting slightly, he flopped into a chair.

'Interview go OK, sir?'

'Owens? I wouldn't trust that fellow as far as I could kick him.'

'Which wouldn't be too far, in your present state of health.'

'Genuine journalist he may be - but he's a phoney witness, take it from me!'

'Before you go on, sir, we've got the preliminary post-mortem report here.'

You've read it through?'

'Tried to. Bullet-entry in the left sub-mandibular-' 'Lew-is! Spare me the details! She was shot through the window, through the blind, in the morning twilight. You mustn't expect much accuracy about the thing! You've been watching too many old cowboy films where they mow down the baddies at hundreds of yards.'

'Distance of about eighteen inches to two feet, that's what it says, judging from-'

'What's it say about the time?' time?'

'She's not quite so specific there.'

'Why the h.e.l.l not? We told her exactly exactly when the woman was shot!' when the woman was shot!'

'Dr Hobson says the temperature in the kitchen that morning wasn't much above zero.'

'Economizing everywhere, our Rachel,' said Morse rather sadly.

'And it seems you get this sort of "refrigeration factor"-'

'In which we are not particularly interested, Lewis, because we know know-' Morse suddenly stopped. 'Unless ... unless our distinguished pathologist is suggesting that Rachel may have been murdered just a little little earlier than we've been a.s.suming.' earlier than we've been a.s.suming.'

'I don't think she's trying to suggest anything, sir. Just giving us the facts as far as she sees them.'

'I suppose so.'

'Do you want to read the report?'

'I shall have to, shan't I, if you you can't understand it?' can't understand it?'

'I didn't say that-'

But again Morse interrupted him, almost eagerly now recounting his interview with Owens ...

'... So don't you see, Lewis? He He could have done it Quarter of an hour it took me, to the newspaper offices via Banbury Road; ten minutes back via the Ring Road. So if he left home about ten to seven - clocked into the car park at seven, say - hardly anything on the roads -then drove straight could have done it Quarter of an hour it took me, to the newspaper offices via Banbury Road; ten minutes back via the Ring Road. So if he left home about ten to seven - clocked into the car park at seven, say - hardly anything on the roads -then drove straight out out of the car park - there's no clocking out there - that's the system they have - drove h.e.l.l for leather back to Bloxham Close - ' of the car park - there's no clocking out there - that's the system they have - drove h.e.l.l for leather back to Bloxham Close - ' 'Drive, 'Drive, sir.' sir.'

' - parks his car up on the road behind the houses' (Morse switched now to the vivid present tense) ' - goes through the vandalized fence there - down the gra.s.s slope - taps on her window - the thin blinds still drawn' (Morse's eyes seemed almost mesmerized) ' - sees her profile more clearly as she gets nearer - for a second or two scrutinizes the dark outline at the gas-lit window - '

'It's electric there.'

' - then he fires through the window into her face -and hits her just below the jaw.'

Lewis nodded this time. 'The sub-mandibular bit, you're right about that.'

'Then he goes up the bank again - gets in his car -back to Osney Mead. But he daren't go into the car park again - of course not! So he leaves his car somewhere near, and goes into the office from the rear of the car park. n.o.body much there to observe his comings and goings - most of the people get in there about eightish, so I learn. Quod erat demonstrandum! Quod erat demonstrandum! I know you're going to ask me what his motive was, and I don't know. But this time we've found the murderer before we've found the motive. Not grumbling too much about that, are you?' I know you're going to ask me what his motive was, and I don't know. But this time we've found the murderer before we've found the motive. Not grumbling too much about that, are you?'

'Yes! It just won't hold water.'

'And why's that?'

"There's this woman from Number 1, for a start. Miss Cecil-'

'Delia - Owens called her Delia.'

'She saw him leave, didn't she? About seven o'clock? That's why she knew he'd be at his desk when she rang him as soon as she saw the police arrive - just after eight.'

'One hour - one whole hour! You can do a lot in an hour.'

'You still can't put a quart into a pint pot.'

'We've now gone metric, by the way, Lewis. Look, what if they're in it together - together - have you thought of that? Owens is carrying a torch for that Miss Cecil, believe me! When I happened to mention Julian Storrs - ' have you thought of that? Owens is carrying a torch for that Miss Cecil, believe me! When I happened to mention Julian Storrs - '

'You didn't do that, surely?'

' - and when I said he'd been seen knocking at one of the other doors there -' 'But n.o.body-'

' - he was jealous, Lewis! And there are only two houses in the Close' (Lewis gave up the struggle) 'occupied by nubile young women: Number 17 and Number 1, Miss James and Miss Cecil, agreed?'

'I thought you just said they were in it together.' together.'

'I said they might be, that's all. I'm just thinking aloud, for Christ's sake! One of us has got to think. And I'm a bit weary and I'm much underbeered. So give me a chance!'

Lewis waited a few seconds. Then: 'Is it my turn to speak, sir?'

Morse nodded weakly, contemplating the threadbare state of Lewis's carpet.

'I don't know whether you've been down the Botley Road in the morning recently - even in the fairly early morning - but it's one of the worst bottlenecks in Oxford. You drove there and back in mid-afternoon, didn't you? But you want Owens to do three journeys between Kidlington and Osney Mead. First he drives to work - perhaps fairly quickly, agreed. Twenty minutes, say? He drives back - a bit quicker? Quarter of an hour, say. He parks his car somewhere - it's not going to be in Bloxham Drive, though. He murders his next-door neighbour. Drives back into Oxford after that - another twenty, twenty-five minutes at least at least now. Finds a parking s.p.a.ce - and this time it's not going to be in the car park, as you say. Walks or runs to his office, not going in the front door, either - for obvious reasons. Gets into his office and is sitting there at his desk when his girlfriend - if you're right about that - rings him up and tells him he'll be in for a bit of a scoop if he gets out again to Bloxham Drive. It's just about possible, sir, if now. Finds a parking s.p.a.ce - and this time it's not going to be in the car park, as you say. Walks or runs to his office, not going in the front door, either - for obvious reasons. Gets into his office and is sitting there at his desk when his girlfriend - if you're right about that - rings him up and tells him he'll be in for a bit of a scoop if he gets out again to Bloxham Drive. It's just about possible, sir, if all all the lights are with him the lights are with him every every time, if almost everybody's decided to walk to work that morning. But it's very improbable even then. And remember it's time, if almost everybody's decided to walk to work that morning. But it's very improbable even then. And remember it's Monday Monday morning - the busiest morning of the week in Oxford.' morning - the busiest morning of the week in Oxford.'

Morse looked hurt.

"You still think it's just about about possible?' possible?'

Lewis considered the question again.

'No, sir. I know you always like to think that most murders are committed by next-door neighbours or husbands or wives-'

'But what if this woman at Number 1 isn't telling us the truth?' queried Morse. 'What if she never made that phone-call at all? What if she's in it with him? What if she's more than willing to provide him with a nice little alibi? You see, you're probably right about the time-scale of things. He probably wouldn't wouldn't have had time to get back here to Kidlington, commit the murder, and then return to the office and be sitting quietly at his desk when she rang him.' 'So?' have had time to get back here to Kidlington, commit the murder, and then return to the office and be sitting quietly at his desk when she rang him.' 'So?'

'So she's lying. Just like he he is! He got back here - easy! -murdered Rachel James - and is! He got back here - easy! -murdered Rachel James - and stayed stayed here, duly putting in an appearance as the very first reporter on the scene!' here, duly putting in an appearance as the very first reporter on the scene!'

'I'm sorry, sir, but she isn't isn't lying, not about this. I don't know what you think the rest of us have been doing since Monday morning but we've done quite a bit of checking up already. And she's lying, not about this. I don't know what you think the rest of us have been doing since Monday morning but we've done quite a bit of checking up already. And she's not not lying about the phone-call to Owens' office. One of the lads went along to BT and confirmed it. The call was monitored and it'll be listed on the itemized telephone bill of the subscriber - Number 1 Bloxham Drive!' lying about the phone-call to Owens' office. One of the lads went along to BT and confirmed it. The call was monitored and it'll be listed on the itemized telephone bill of the subscriber - Number 1 Bloxham Drive!'

'Does it give the time?' time?'