Die Like a Dog by Gwen Moffat Page A

was checked. Shaky but coherent she turned to her guests and said meaningly: ‘We both need you – as you observe. Perhaps – if we were to have coffee in the kitchen –?’
    They moved towards the back of the hall, Ellen retreating before them. In the kitchen the woman dropped onto a chair while Gladys filled a kettle. Ellen stared at the table. Gladys said: ‘Evans hasn’t been home all night. Ellen is worried. You remember Mr Roberts, Ellen; he was the solicitor before he retired.’
    â€˜And the coroner,’ Ellen said darkly.
    Gladys looked at Miss Pink in mute appeal.
    â€˜When did you see your husband last?’ Miss Pink asked of Ellen.
    â€˜I’d gone to bed. I had migraine.’
    â€˜It was getting on towards ten,’ Gladys put in. ‘We’d been talking, Evans and I. He went across and I listened to the ten o’clock news before I went to bed.’
    â€˜And Evans came upstairs to bed?’ Ted turned to Ellen.
    â€˜No.’
    â€˜He went up to their bedroom –’ Gladys said, and waited, as did her guests.
    Ellen looked up and her eyes brightened. Miss Pink thought that the woman was more excited than worried.
    â€˜He come upstairs,’ she said clearly, savouring their attention, ‘and he took a thick jersey and one of them balaclava helmet things. Dark, they were – them clothes.’
    â€˜Did he say where he was going?’ Miss Pink asked.
    â€˜Up to that one.’
    â€˜That one?’
    â€˜That Lloyd.’
    â€˜Why?’ asked Ted.
    Ellen drew a deep breath. ‘To bring the spade away, as evidence.’
    Gladys stared at the woman as if mesmerised. ‘He went to Lloyd’s cottage? You didn’t say that before.’
    â€˜You never let me get that far. Of course he did.’
    â€˜Did he tell you why he wanted the spade?’ Ted asked gently.
    â€˜Evidence! I said. The grave were dug with a spade.’
    Miss Pink glanced at Gladys. ‘What grave?’
    Ellen said: ‘Why, Satan’s. He was buried, wasn’t he?’
    There was a moment of relaxation before Gladys said heatedly: ‘
    I told him – I ordered him not to go up to Lloyd’s. He came here and asked if he could have a word with me.’ She turned to Ellen. ‘You know what Evans is like: he gets an idea into his head and nothing will shake him.’ Ellen pursed her lips. ‘He insists Lloyd shot the dog,’ Gladys went on. ‘I told him that he was to wait until Richard came home before doing anything that might make trouble; I thought I’d convinced him ... What does it mean? He said Richard’s shotgun is gone too. It is missing.’
    No one spoke for a while, then Ted asked quietly: ‘When did you notice it was missing?’
    â€˜I didn’t. Evans wanted to take it with him, for protection, he said. I refused, he went out and he must have looked in the study as he went. He came back and told me it wasn’t there.’
    â€˜Did Judson take it with him?’ Ted asked.
    â€˜I didn’t see him go. Did you see him leave, Ellen?’
    â€˜I saw the car go down the drive. I was vacuuming the drawing room. I couldn’t see if he had a gun with him. I wouldn’t, would I?’
    â€˜Why –’ Ted checked.
    Miss Pink’s mind was racing but she waited for him to continue. He was the local man – and had been a coroner.
    â€˜Police,’ Ellen said defiantly.
    They all looked at Ted. ‘It’s either that,’ he said, ‘or we – I should go up to speak to Lloyd.’
    â€˜Oh no!’ Gladys was frightened. ‘Not alone, Mr Roberts.’
    â€˜Evans said nothing else?’ he pressed. ‘To you, Mrs Judson, or to Ellen?’
    Gladys shook her head dumbly. ‘I ordered him not to go,’ she repeated.
    â€˜He said he might be gone for a while,’ Ellen said. ‘I told him not to go, too. Anything could