“You got here quickly, Alice,” Agatha said. The woman was the fiancée of Bill Wong, a detective sergeant she had known for many years.
“We were in the area,” Alice explained. “Are you okay, Mrs. Raisin?”
“I’m fine,” Agatha said, imagining the appalling effects a champagne shower and a sweaty sprint must have had on her make-up. “I must look a fright, but I’m all right.”
“You’re soaking wet,” said Alice. “What happened here?”
The steady bright light of the stable was now punctuated by flickering blue, a police car having pulled up behind the house.
“A long story,” said Agatha, “but this isn’t suicide. I think she was murdered.”
“Did you find the body?” asked Alice.
“No, the young couple over there did,” Agatha explained, pointing. “Probably out here for nothing more sinister than a roll in the hay. We got her down but there was nothing we could do. She was dead.”
“I see,” said Alice. “Stay right here until the forensics people arrive, please.”
“Well, well, Agatha Raisin.” Chief Inspector Wilkes stood at the stable entrance. “At times like these, why is no one surprised to see you?”
“And everyone dismayed to see you,” Agatha replied.
“I don’t want any lip from you.” Wilkes scowled at her. “What’s the situation, Peterson? Seems like a suicide.”
“Things ain’t always what they seem…” muttered Agatha, deep in thought.
“What?” snapped Wilkes. “What are you mumbling about, woman?”
“He murdered my daughter!” Darell shouted, pointing at Charles again. “Probably with help from her!” He jabbed the finger in Agatha’s direction.
“Is that so?” A sly smile played on Wilkes’s lips. Bill Wong appeared at his shoulder and exchanged a brief nod with Alice. “Keep them all here until forensics are finished with them, Sergeant,” Wilkes said to Bill. “It’s getting a little chilly. I’ll be inside when we’re ready to talk to them. Bound to be some tea and a spot of grub on the go.”
* * *
Bill Wong led Agatha towards the library. She was wearing a paper forensic suit, the forensics officers having taken her clothes for examination, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. Toni wafted along beside them, still dressed in her pink gown.
“I’ll hang around, Agatha,” she said, “in case you need me.”
“Thanks, Toni, but you’d best go home and get changed,” said Agatha. “I’ll call you if there’s anything you can help with.”
“I can have someone drive Toni home,” Bill offered. “Listen to me, Agatha,” he said, leaning in to speak quietly. The son of a Gloucestershire mother and a Hong Kong Chinese father, Bill was young, lean and handsome. He was one of the first people Agatha had come to know when she moved to Carsely and remained a trusted friend. “Wilkes wants to take your statement personally. You know what he’s like. Don’t wind him up. He’s really gunning for you. Be careful.”
“Thanks, Bill,” said Agatha, giving him a smile, “but I have nothing to be frightened of.”
Chief Inspector Wilkes was sitting at Charles’s desk. Agatha was given a chair in front of the desk. Bill Wong stood to one side.
“What on earth have you got yourself mixed up in this time, Mrs. Raisin?” said Wilkes, grinning. “A very serious situation. Our pathologist has examined the body and is convinced that Lady Mary was cruelly murdered—strangled. The hanging scenario was simply a pathetically amateur attempt to cover up the murder. Now who do we know around here who is a pathetic amateur? What do you think, Sergeant Wong?”
“Mrs. Raisin tried to save the victim,” said Bill.
“Unfortunately,” said Agatha, “she was dead long before we got to her.”
“And made a very good job of securing the crime scene,” Bill added.
“All for show, though, wasn’t it?” Wilkes sneered. “You were not invited to this party, were you, Mrs. Raisin? You even ended up starting a fight with the hostess—and she ended up dead.”
“I wasn’t the one who started—”
“And only a few days ago, you threatened to strangle her when you had another fight outside your own front door.”
“How did you find out about that?”
“It’s my job to find out about things like that, Mrs. Raisin. Care to comment about the front-door fight?”
“No, I thought I would just give you an ugly look, but you’ve already got one.”
“Don’t get smart with me. I know you threatened Lady Mary. You see, I am a police officer—a real detective—not some silly amateur woman playing at the job!”
“You couldn’t detect a bear if it bit you in the arse!” Agatha snapped.
“Is that so?” growled Wilkes. “Well here’s something I CAN do that you can’t. Agatha Raisin, I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Lady Mary Fraith. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence. So—anything to say now, Mrs. Raisin?”
“Drop dead!”
“Take her and book her in at the station, Sergeant Wong. I look forward to having another little chat with you later, Mrs. Raisin.”
Bill stepped forward and escorted Agatha towards the door.
“Wait a minute, Sergeant,” called Wilkes. “Aren’t you forgetting something?” He held his hands out in front of him, fists clenched, wrists together.
“Are you sure that’s really necessary, sir?” objected Bill.
“Just do it!” ordered Wilkes. “This is a murder suspect.”
Bill reached under his jacket and produced his handcuffs. “Sorry, Agatha,” he whispered, clicking the cuffs over her wrists.
Wilkes smiled, gloating. His humiliation of Agatha Raisin was complete. Agatha glowered defiantly at him, holding her head high, assuming a calm dignity that even her baggy white paper overalls and devastated make-up could not suppress. “You’re going to regret this,” she said quietly.
* * *
Agatha was taken to Mircester police station. Bill Wong booked her in with the custody sergeant, who led her to a dull grey cell with a metal door. Bill’s last words to her were “Don’t worry, Agatha. You’ll be out of here in no time.” No time turned out to be six hours later, which included an hour of interrogation and accusation with the insufferable Wilkes. Eventually she was released without charge, as was Charles, who had undergone a similar ordeal. Toni and Gustav had arrived to take them home, bringing them fresh clothes. Bill Wong spoke to them both on the steps outside the police station.
“I really can’t say very much,” he told them, “but witnesses—partygoers and security staff—have given statements confirming your story. They saw you going off down the driveway. Toni and her taxi driver saw you running back towards the house. All the evidence we have points to the fact that you were in the wrong place at the wrong time to have been involved in Mary’s murder. So you are off the hook—for now. Wilkes is still convinced that one or both of you are behind this.”