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Authors: Ellis Peters
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the first period access would be very easy for anyone connected with the boat service or the hotel. Possibly even for outsiders. During the second there would be quite a number of people around, and though access would be easily possible, it would also be risky, since anyone unauthorised might very well be challenged if he approached the boat, and would in any case run the risk of being noticed, remembered and identified afterwards. One would choose the early morning in preference, I think. And then there were the morning guests, Mr and Mrs Mani and their servant. I shall be seeing them, of course. They are from Bengal…’ He let that tail away gently into silence, one eye on Dominic. He didn’t believe in it very seriously, but he had an open mind.
‘They were very flattered and excited about having an introduction to Mr Bakhle,’ Dominic said. ‘But I suppose that would be the line to take if they wanted the introduction and the invitation for a special purpose. Not very likely Naxalites, on the face of it, they have a lot to lose, and nothing to gain, which is usually the determining factor. Though not always, I suppose. But more important, all the letters of introduction in the world couldn’t have
guaranteed
them an invitation to share his boat.’
‘That is true. Also terrorist agents do not commonly proceed in threes, and for one to be such an agent without the risk of being suspected by the others might be difficult. Still, there could be vital secrets even between husband and wife, much more between master and servant. And as for possessions – have you noticed that the tenets of a creed are sometimes religiously observed by the rank-and-file adherent, but do not seem to be binding on the leaders of the cult? There are Naxalite bosses who are themselves greedy and tenacious landlords. Well – and you cannot think of anyone else who had ample opportunity, and was also from Bengal?’
‘Yes,’ said Dominic, after a long pause during which they looked each other measuringly in the eye, with a degree of wonder and curiosity. ‘Only it makes no sense. Yes, I didn’t miss the connection. Nobody had more opportunity than Ajit Ghose, nobody could hop in and out of that boat with as obvious a right as he could. For him it would have been easy, he was taking out that boat today, nobody would think of questioning him. And he comes from Bengal, and he’s been here only a short time. Romesh told us. And he told us more – that originally
he
was down as Bakhle’s boat-boy for today, and Ghose contrived to have the duties changed, so that the job went to him instead. I haven’t forgotten. But it would be crazy! He stood to blow himself up, too.
If
he did it, he
did
blow himself up.’
‘He may not have intended any such development. Terrorists have died by their own bombs before now.’
‘Not with that much room to manoeuvre. He could have fixed it to go off when he wasn’t aboard —’
‘How? You think a man like Bakhle would ever go aboard first and wait for his boatman? At the landing-stage, whatever pretext he might have made to absent himself, it would not have been a practical proposition. He would have been under suspicion immediately. No, if it was to happen in the boat, it had to be well out on the water, and therefore he had to be there. But don’t forget the circumstances. They were close to shore, and it would appear that Bakhle himself was at the wheel at the time, apparently quite a frequent habit of his, and perhaps not difficult to contrive more or less at will. Thus Ghose would be behind him, while Bakhle’s attention would be focused ahead. I have already confirmed that Ghose is a strong swimmer. May he not have intended to slip overboard shortly before the hour, and swim ashore? The boat was to founder. What would the boatman be then but a lucky survivor who happened to be blown overboard, and had no chance to help his passenger? If he wished to continue here and behave as an
‘They were very flattered and excited about having an introduction to Mr Bakhle,’ Dominic said. ‘But I suppose that would be the line to take if they wanted the introduction and the invitation for a special purpose. Not very likely Naxalites, on the face of it, they have a lot to lose, and nothing to gain, which is usually the determining factor. Though not always, I suppose. But more important, all the letters of introduction in the world couldn’t have
guaranteed
them an invitation to share his boat.’
‘That is true. Also terrorist agents do not commonly proceed in threes, and for one to be such an agent without the risk of being suspected by the others might be difficult. Still, there could be vital secrets even between husband and wife, much more between master and servant. And as for possessions – have you noticed that the tenets of a creed are sometimes religiously observed by the rank-and-file adherent, but do not seem to be binding on the leaders of the cult? There are Naxalite bosses who are themselves greedy and tenacious landlords. Well – and you cannot think of anyone else who had ample opportunity, and was also from Bengal?’
‘Yes,’ said Dominic, after a long pause during which they looked each other measuringly in the eye, with a degree of wonder and curiosity. ‘Only it makes no sense. Yes, I didn’t miss the connection. Nobody had more opportunity than Ajit Ghose, nobody could hop in and out of that boat with as obvious a right as he could. For him it would have been easy, he was taking out that boat today, nobody would think of questioning him. And he comes from Bengal, and he’s been here only a short time. Romesh told us. And he told us more – that originally
he
was down as Bakhle’s boat-boy for today, and Ghose contrived to have the duties changed, so that the job went to him instead. I haven’t forgotten. But it would be crazy! He stood to blow himself up, too.
If
he did it, he
did
blow himself up.’
‘He may not have intended any such development. Terrorists have died by their own bombs before now.’
‘Not with that much room to manoeuvre. He could have fixed it to go off when he wasn’t aboard —’
‘How? You think a man like Bakhle would ever go aboard first and wait for his boatman? At the landing-stage, whatever pretext he might have made to absent himself, it would not have been a practical proposition. He would have been under suspicion immediately. No, if it was to happen in the boat, it had to be well out on the water, and therefore he had to be there. But don’t forget the circumstances. They were close to shore, and it would appear that Bakhle himself was at the wheel at the time, apparently quite a frequent habit of his, and perhaps not difficult to contrive more or less at will. Thus Ghose would be behind him, while Bakhle’s attention would be focused ahead. I have already confirmed that Ghose is a strong swimmer. May he not have intended to slip overboard shortly before the hour, and swim ashore? The boat was to founder. What would the boatman be then but a lucky survivor who happened to be blown overboard, and had no chance to help his passenger? If he wished to continue here and behave as an
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