All the Lonely People by Martin Edwards Page A

Devlin,” said Skinner. There was a faint snuffle in his voice, as if he had picked up a February cold. “We have a number of additional questions for you, I’m afraid.”
    Harry stood aside and they walked into the lounge. His grudging offer of coffee was accepted and as he poured two more cups from the jug, he sensed they were appraising his words and movements, on the look-out for evasions and inconsistencies that might suggest he intended to tell them less than he knew. Macbeth didn’t take a seat. Sleek and immaculate in a leather jacket and slacks, he prowled the room like a panther about to pounce.
    Skinner said, “We’d appreciate it if you could take us through your movements again on the day that your wife was killed.”
    Harry repeated his account of the events of Thursday. Already it seemed a lifetime away. Neither policeman took notes. Skinner listened intently; his sergeant radiated cynicism.
    â€œIs there anything you would wish to add to your statement?” asked the Chief Inspector. “Or change?”
    Harry shook his head. “Why should I?”
    Macbeth spoke at last. “Why did you call at Coghlan’s house yesterday?” He glared at Harry, daring him to deny the visit.
    â€œI wanted to talk to the man. Simple as that.”
    â€œWhy?”
    How to reply when there was no safe, sensible answer? “Liz left me to live with him. I’ve never met Mick Coghlan, but he’s still one of the most important people in my life. When she was dead, I thought I should at least speak to him.”
    â€œMourning together?” The sergeant shovelled on the sarcasm.
    When Harry said nothing, Skinner asked, “How did you react when your marriage broke up?”
    â€œI celebrated with champagne, what do you imagine?” Even as he spoke, Harry regretted being provoked into a bitter, childish response. No good would come of it. He had counselled clients a thousand times about keeping cool under interrogation or in the witness box. Easier said than done.
    â€œYou must have felt wild.”
    Why deny it? “Of course, but at least I had enough nous to realise there was no way I could change her mind for her. If she ever wished to come back, it had to be her decision, taken in her own time. She-”
    â€œYes?”
    â€œShe was a strong-willed woman, Chief Inspector. Threats or pleading, neither would have achieved anything. They would only have made her more determined.”
    â€œPresumably you never lost hope that one day she’d tire of Coghlan and want to give the marriage another try?”
    Harry grimaced. “In the back of my mind, yes, I suppose you’re right. Liz and I shared some good moments. But she used to complain I spent too much time working for too little reward. She wanted something more from life.”
    â€œAll the same, you never divorced. Exactly why not?”
    â€œI had no urge to and Liz never asked for it. Neither of us bothered with the recriminations that make lawyers rich.” He pondered for a moment and then said, “Some lawyers, at any rate. I put her in touch with a solicitor from Maher and Malcolm and we sorted things out as painlessly as possible. The money side was simple. We sold the house and split the lot down the middle. She wasn’t greedy. She was confident Coghlan could keep her in the style to which she wanted to grow accustomed.”
    Macbeth snapped, “And what about Wednesday night?”
    â€œWhat about it?” Despite himself, Harry could feel the sergeant’s hostility beginning to get under his skin.
    Stolidly, Skinner said, “You must have been aggrieved when your wife turned up, as you say, out of the blue. Let’s face it, she was treating this place as a hotel, somewhere she could rest her head between lovers, isn’t that so?” When Harry failed to answer, he continued, “Frankly, Mr. Devlin, I wouldn’t have blamed you if