Mortal Taste by J. M. Gregson

fact on to his files. Lambert said to Hook, ‘Did you find out anything else about his behaviour on the day of his death?’
    â€˜Only that he didn’t seem at all nervous or distracted. He gave what everyone seems to think was an excellent address about secondary education generally and his school in particular, answered questions, led a discussion group in the afternoon, and was generally bright and cheerful all day. He was seen to make one phone call on his mobile, after lunch.’
    â€˜Which no one interviewed so far has admitted receiving,’ said Rushton, who had checked the team files as soon as Hook had come back from Birmingham with his report.
    â€˜Weapon?’ said Lambert.
    Rushton shook his head dolefully. ‘They couldn’t even be precise about that. They haven’t found the bullet. They’re confident that a silencer was attached, and they’ve got a reasonable picture of the point of entry. They think there’s a fair chance they could tie it up with the murder weapon, if we ever find one. From the extent of the damage to the skull, they think a Smith and Wesson pistol is the most likely instrument.’
    â€˜Anything turned up yet from the preliminary interviews at the school?’
    Rushton was pleased with this question. It was a proper build-up for the one unusual bit of information, which was going to come from him. ‘Nothing much yet. One teacher has been mentioned by someone else, though. Singled out for special attention, as you might say.’
    He told them about Darcy Simpson’s visit, about his dramatic display of the chest scars, stemming, as he claimed, from an attack by a teacher at Greenwood School, Tamsin Phillips.
    â€˜Simpson isn’t the most reliable sort of informant. Possibly on drugs; almost certainly psychologically disturbed, I should think. But we checked out his story with Thames Valley Police, where the incident took place. It seems to be substantially true. Apparently she stabbed him three times with a kitchen knife.’
    â€˜When was this?’
    â€˜Five years ago. They’d been living together. It seems to have been in a fit of jealous rage, when he wanted to end the relationship.’ Chris Rushton’s mouth wrinkled with distaste at the thought of such lack of control; his own marital break-up had been much more civilized.
    â€˜So Ms Phillips has a criminal record.’
    â€˜No. She got off with a caution. Darcy Simpson refused to bring charges and the CPS wouldn’t take it on without his co-operation. She agreed to a course of psychiatric treatment, so I suppose they thought they hadn’t much chance of a custodial sentence.’ Rushton’s face creased with contempt in the policeman’s conditioned reaction to any mention of psychiatry.
    â€˜Did Phillips make any mention of the incident in her interview at the school?’
    â€˜No. Simpson only came in here after she’d given her statement.’ He flashed the page up on the screen. ‘This is absolutely routine: she says she didn’t know Logan well; found him an excellent headmaster; had no idea who could possibly wish to kill him. No one’s been back to her since Simpson came in here. I rather thought you’d like to follow it up yourself, sir.’
    Lambert nodded and grinned. ‘I’ll take Bert with me to protect me against kitchen knives.’
    â€˜There’s one other thing Simpson said about Ms Phillips. He claimed she’d been having an affair with her late headmaster.’
    Daniel Price drove his car round the ground floor of the multi-storey car park, checking that he was unobserved, and then eased it down the driveway to the basement.
    There was little daylight down here. In the evening, the druggies and drop-outs would congregate here, but there were only two pathetic figures now, sitting with their backs against the concrete wall at the far end of the basement; Daniel kept well clear