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had been thinking out loud: ‘I suppose Dol’s death couldn’t have anything to do with Traddles? Just wondering.’
    The Major did not answer at once; he could see that someone else was arriving. Then he said: ‘Possible, but it’s a different sort of killing. I don’t think Tommy Traddles was strangled; his eyes weren’t bulging at all. It looked as if his death had been quick and sharp.’
    â€˜Team work, you think?’
    Denny had also noticed a new face. ‘The Coroner’s just come. Thought he wouldn’t be slow in getting here.’
    The Coroner disliked all the other law keepers in Windsor and, in particular, Felix Ferguson and his Unit. He had no time for the Constable, or for the Magistrate, both of whom he regarded as encroaching on his territory.
    â€˜The Coroner’s Office,’ Denny had heard him proclaim more than once, ‘dates back to Norman times when men kept the peace by means of the Frankpledge system.’ He would then go on to explain the Frankpledge system – until stopped.
    But, like the Magistrate, he too respected the position of the Major and of Sergeant Denny in the Castle. He smiled at them, then bowed. The Major responded in kind.

    â€˜Dol will go down to the mortuary once Dr Devon’s given the word,’ said the Major. ‘I wonder how he feels about seeing her this way.’ He eyed Denny.
    â€˜There’s plenty who knew the way to her little cot,’ said Denny.
    The Major shrugged. ‘Who knows?’ In fact he did know; he had made it his business to know. Not hard in a town like Windsor to scout around and find out who visited the lovely whore. Traddles had been one of his informants.
    â€˜So you think the good doctor will go down to the mortuary with Dol?’
    â€˜Sure of it. He’ll want to inspect her. Make sure what she really died of, and when. If he can.’
    The Sergeant dragged out his own worry. ‘I hope Tosser doesn’t say anything about our bundles.’
    â€˜I don’t think he will.’
    â€˜It must be getting quite crowded in there.’
    â€˜And there’s still the rest of Traddles around somewhere waiting to get in,’ said Mearns with grim humour.
    â€˜I feel a bit nervous, Sir.’
    â€˜We’ve been in worse places, Sergeant.’
    â€˜It’s not myself I’m worried about … It’s Mindy. Felix was probably going to walk her home, but now he’s bound to stay for a bit and Mindy will have to see herself back to the Castle.’ He fixed the Major with his knowing eyes. ‘Don’t like to think of her doing that.’
    Mearns passed over knowingness; it never paid to let Denny feel how clever he was (although in his mind
Mearns acknowledged that Denny was exceedingly sharp – which was why he valued working with him). So yes, Denny had noticed how the Major’s feelings for Mindy had grown into love.
    For that matter, Mearns knew one or two things about Denny that he did not talk about. Denny certainly had a wife in Cripplegate, but he also had one in Winchester, and probably another in Worcester, and another in Widness – all places where his army life had taken him. Mearns wondered if he had always taken care that none of his wives could write so they could not pester him.
    But no, that was too devious for Denny. In his own way he played a straight game. And after all, thought Mearns, perhaps they had been glad to lose Denny. He remembered Denny’s relief when he met an early romance in Windsor, now a plump commanding school virago.
    â€˜Well, Mindy hasn’t gone,’ said the Major, looking across the stage. ‘She’s still here. I reckon she wanted to know who was dead. We’ll walk her home together and tell her what we know.’ Which wasn’t much, he thought.
    â€˜She’ll be safe enough in the Castle,’ assured Denny, giving Mearns another knowing