Such Is Death by Leo Bruce Page B

there?”
    â€œThere again, you’ve come to the wrong shop for detail. We drove down from here, parked the car by the pier and set off with that wind in our faces. I should think we walked for about fifteen minutes before turning round.”
    â€œHow far did you get?”
    â€œNot unfortunately, as far as the last shelter or we might have seen something useful. But I can tell you the point we reached to an inch. We went as far as the public lavatory. I know that because I intended to make use of it but found it closed.”
    â€œSo what did you do?”
    â€œMy dear old chap, I don’t know whether you suffer from a weak bladder. If you do you will guess what I did—got over the railing and dropped on to the beach for a moment out of the light.”
    â€œSo your wife was waiting alone on the promenade? Did anyone pass her?”
    â€œYou must ask her that for yourself. She’ll be bringing us in a cup of coffee in a moment. We always indulge ourselves at eleven o’clock in the morning. You’ll join us, I hope? I know how exhausting this kind of teaser can be.”
    â€œThank you. So that was as far as you went?”
    â€œYes. Pity, isn’t it? If we had covered the next hundred yards or two it would have brought us to the last shelter, and then who knows what my observant eye might have seen?”
    â€œWho indeed? The man was being murdered aboutthe time you were on the beach,” said Carolus, but again apparently failed to suggest to Mr Morsell that this was anything but a consultation with a fellow expert.
    â€œHow absurd! To think that I might …”
    â€œYou turned back immediately?”
    â€œAs soon as I rejoined my wife, yes. It was good to get the wind behind us.”
    â€œDid you meet anyone during the whole of your walk?”
    â€œI can’t be too certain about this because we go down to the promenade about three evenings a week. I remember that as we were walking against the wind we were caught up by a very short fat man who was stepping out briskly in the same direction. So briskly that he was soon out of sight ahead of us. And I seem to remember meeting a policeman at some point. I have an impression that there may have been one or two others but I can’t be sure.”
    â€œYou did not speak to anyone?”
    â€œOnly to a parishioner,” said Mr Morsell as though certain that this could have no bearing.
    â€œWho was that?”
    â€œMy dear old boy, I can’t see that it can have the remotest connection with your problem. It was a parishioner of mine.”
    â€œSo you said. It was the name I wanted.”
    Mr Morsell laughed.
    â€œYou sleuths!” he said. “You must find a few wrong trees to bark up, I suppose. What noses you have for red herrings! Here was a man who sings bass in my choir, born and bred in Selby, who has worked in the same ironmonger’s shop for twenty years, and who chanced to take a stroll that evening. Yet you want his name. But I like you for it, old chap. I like thoroughness even when it’s misplaced.”
    â€œThank you. What was his name?”
    â€œOh really!” said Mr Morsell, a touch of irritation coming into his manner. “Aren’t you going rather far?I don’t want my friend upset by a lot of questions when he cannot possibly be concerned.”
    â€œYou decline to tell me whom you met that evening, Mr Morsell?”
    â€œI’m sorry, old fellow, but I don’t think you have much sense of humour. If you could see the person concerned! “Mr Morsell laughed. “Oh dear! “he added chuckling.
    â€œDid you tell the police about this?” asked Carolus, whose face had not changed.
    â€œThe police? My dear old boy, what do you take me for? Do you think I want to make such an ass of myself? The police would have told me not to be ridiculous.”
    â€œI see. Then since you refuse to tell me I shall have to inform them that