coming to see his birds. Martin had picked out this young blue budgie for Sandra. A lovely little boy.” She smiled. “It’s hard to make out the cocks from the hen birds at first.”
A ripple of laughter went round the incident room at this. She continued. “But this one has a clear blue wattle on its beak. The hens have brown wattles, you see,” she said glancing at the interested faces around them. “That’s the skin crowning the beak.”
“Wattles — Mrs. Roberts.” Peale wondered where this was going. But decided to let her carry on. He needed her help with Martin.
“Yes. This young cock would win prizes for good breeding. Martin was sure she would like it. Oh, dear... Sorry.” She fumbled for her handkerchief in her purse and brought it out to dab her eyes. Martin took her hand and squeezed it tight and waited for Peale to speak again.
“We know that Sandra was in close contact with birds, before she was killed Mr. Robbins. Are you sure that she wasn’t with you in your aviary later than this, on Sunday night?”
Martin signed quickly now. He was obviously disturbed by the way the questions were going. A badly bruised left eye served to emphasize the dark shadows which were settled under his eyes, Peale noted.
“He said he didn’t see Sandra last night,” Jessica intervened again quickly. “He tried. He says he went up to the camp on Kilernee Hill to see her. It was late. Sandra wasn’t there and he saw Macey instead.”
Robbins was definitely disturbed now. Agitated. He was trying to sign and Gerry Coombe signalled with her eyes at Peale. She had picked up that lie was worried by Robbins. The questions were bringing home to Martin the severe reality of Sandra’s recent death. He was badly distressed.
Peale wished now that Fowler would walk in through the door and take care of the situation.
“You saw Macey, Mr. Robbins?” Robbins signed again and looked even more distressed. “So did you have words with him? A fight perhaps?”
“He wants you to know how worried he was about her, Sergeant. Martin suffers badly from his nerves. He’s worried about his mother too. She’s in a Home, not well at all and needs special nursing.”
She threw a quick look at her nephew he had been lip-reading intently and was signing now. His movements rapidly became more agitated. He stood up suddenly pushing back his chair noisily and leant over Peale.
Close to his face, he mouthed, “Macey — Macey.” And then sat down again much to Peale’s immediate relief.
“Martin! What is it? Tell us. You’ve got to tell the police everything you know, dear.”
He signed again quickly, Peale groaned and waited while Jessica signed back and Martin signed again and then slumped down in the chair. Holding his head in his hands. He was sobbing loudly now.
“What did he say, Mrs. Robbins?”
“He says you must speak to Jason Macey. Right away, Sergeant Peale. Martin believes that Macey quarrelled with Sandra last night and hurt her. Martin says he’s sure of it. He fought with Macey. That’s how Martin got the bruised face and black eye.”
Robbins lifted his damp face and Peale studied him carefully. Macey had certainly given him a real shiner.
Jessica Robbins said, “Macey, Martin says, had scratches on his shoulder, he had a torn sleeve and it showed. But Martin swears that he never saw Sandra after midday yesterday. He tried to find her but she was always somewhere else. Macey told him that she was going to see someone. That’s why they had quarrelled, he said. And it’s probably true. Macey was very jealous and possessive.”
Martin signed again quickly. Alarmed Jessica spoke out quickly, “Sergeant Peale. He says Macey carries a knife!”
“Macey, has a knife! Are you certain about this, sir?”
Martin signed again quickly. Peale watched the rapid hand movements and as he waited, barely controlling his patience. Martin pointed down to his right ankle. “It’s a dagger. He says Macey wears
A ripple of laughter went round the incident room at this. She continued. “But this one has a clear blue wattle on its beak. The hens have brown wattles, you see,” she said glancing at the interested faces around them. “That’s the skin crowning the beak.”
“Wattles — Mrs. Roberts.” Peale wondered where this was going. But decided to let her carry on. He needed her help with Martin.
“Yes. This young cock would win prizes for good breeding. Martin was sure she would like it. Oh, dear... Sorry.” She fumbled for her handkerchief in her purse and brought it out to dab her eyes. Martin took her hand and squeezed it tight and waited for Peale to speak again.
“We know that Sandra was in close contact with birds, before she was killed Mr. Robbins. Are you sure that she wasn’t with you in your aviary later than this, on Sunday night?”
Martin signed quickly now. He was obviously disturbed by the way the questions were going. A badly bruised left eye served to emphasize the dark shadows which were settled under his eyes, Peale noted.
“He said he didn’t see Sandra last night,” Jessica intervened again quickly. “He tried. He says he went up to the camp on Kilernee Hill to see her. It was late. Sandra wasn’t there and he saw Macey instead.”
Robbins was definitely disturbed now. Agitated. He was trying to sign and Gerry Coombe signalled with her eyes at Peale. She had picked up that lie was worried by Robbins. The questions were bringing home to Martin the severe reality of Sandra’s recent death. He was badly distressed.
Peale wished now that Fowler would walk in through the door and take care of the situation.
“You saw Macey, Mr. Robbins?” Robbins signed again and looked even more distressed. “So did you have words with him? A fight perhaps?”
“He wants you to know how worried he was about her, Sergeant. Martin suffers badly from his nerves. He’s worried about his mother too. She’s in a Home, not well at all and needs special nursing.”
She threw a quick look at her nephew he had been lip-reading intently and was signing now. His movements rapidly became more agitated. He stood up suddenly pushing back his chair noisily and leant over Peale.
Close to his face, he mouthed, “Macey — Macey.” And then sat down again much to Peale’s immediate relief.
“Martin! What is it? Tell us. You’ve got to tell the police everything you know, dear.”
He signed again quickly, Peale groaned and waited while Jessica signed back and Martin signed again and then slumped down in the chair. Holding his head in his hands. He was sobbing loudly now.
“What did he say, Mrs. Robbins?”
“He says you must speak to Jason Macey. Right away, Sergeant Peale. Martin believes that Macey quarrelled with Sandra last night and hurt her. Martin says he’s sure of it. He fought with Macey. That’s how Martin got the bruised face and black eye.”
Robbins lifted his damp face and Peale studied him carefully. Macey had certainly given him a real shiner.
Jessica Robbins said, “Macey, Martin says, had scratches on his shoulder, he had a torn sleeve and it showed. But Martin swears that he never saw Sandra after midday yesterday. He tried to find her but she was always somewhere else. Macey told him that she was going to see someone. That’s why they had quarrelled, he said. And it’s probably true. Macey was very jealous and possessive.”
Martin signed again quickly. Alarmed Jessica spoke out quickly, “Sergeant Peale. He says Macey carries a knife!”
“Macey, has a knife! Are you certain about this, sir?”
Martin signed again quickly. Peale watched the rapid hand movements and as he waited, barely controlling his patience. Martin pointed down to his right ankle. “It’s a dagger. He says Macey wears
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