taken her nightclothes in a carrier bag.’
‘She was probably killed within an hour or two of her leaving home.’
‘How do you know?’
‘We don’t exactly, but she’d been dead long enough for rigor mortis to wear off. She might have been held somewhere for a day or two, of course, but it’s not likely. There hadn’t been the smallest sign of a struggle.’
‘And she wasn’t killed in the school?’
‘Almost certainly not. She was killed somewhere else and then put in the school after that area had been searched. There was a routine search on the moors after she was reported missing so her body was kept somewhere until it was fairly safe to move it.’
‘The door was unlocked when I went there.’
‘A couple of our men searched the school and found the front door unlocked too. They left it as it was. I assume it had been unlocked by whoever was there last.’
‘Not guilty,’ Sister Joan said promptly. ‘We usually did lock up during termtime but after the children had taken their things home there wasn’t much left for anyone to bother stealing. This isn’t an inner city area with lots of petty crime.’
‘I agree. Crime, when it comes, tends to be big,’ he said wryly. ‘You didn’t know the girl?’
‘Valerie? No, not at all. She never was a pupil of mine and she would have attended the parish church. Father Malone says she was a quiet, good girl.’
‘Yes. He told us that too. Well, it looks as if you have no further involvement in the case.’ His tone was faintly regretful. ‘You found the body and that means you might be called for the inquest though the coroner might be satisfied with a statement. After that it won’t directly concern you. You can go back to ringing bells and ordering soup. Surely soup isn’t all you get for lunch?’
‘We get bread, water and fruit with it. They don’t starve us in the order, you know.’
‘But they don’t encourage you to indulge either, do they? Every mouthful subject to discipline.’
‘Which frees us to concentrate on the important things, like prayer and meditation, but you might not appreciate how vital those things are.’
‘I reckon I don’t.’ He made a sudden restless movement among the papers on his desk. ‘Would you believe I tried praying about my marriage once? It didn’t make a blind bit of difference.’
‘Then I’m sorry, but perhaps it’s too soon to tell.’
‘Perhaps. I’ll reserve judgement. And I’ve two fine boys.’
‘And I have to drive back to the convent. Sister Teresa makes very tasty soup.’ She had risen, holding out her hand with a frank smile that precluded any intimate revelations.
‘Thank you for your help, Sister. I’ll see you to the car.’ He was equally formal.
‘There’s no need. Surely you have work to do?’
‘Plenty, and if I do find five minutes to relax Sergeant Barratt, our new broom in Bodmin, is here with suggestionsas to how a conscientious police officer can fill an idle hour.’
‘You don’t like him?’
‘He’s keen,’ he said wryly. ‘Spends two-thirds of his life here since he arrived. You met his wife.’
‘After you pressured her into giving me a lift. She seems very pleasant, a bit out of things but then they’ve only just moved here, haven’t they?’
‘A couple of weeks ago. Barratt was in Birmingham but he was transferred here to a rural area because the powers that be reckoned his chances of promotion would be enhanced or words to that effect. Ours not to reason why. I wish he wasn’t quite so enthusiastic, makes me feel I ought to be getting ready to queue up for a cheap bus pass or something. Give my regards to Mother Prioress – wait.’
On the verge of opening the car door for her he stopped, straightening up, as Sergeant Barratt strode down the road. Though he was in plain clothes he looked as smart as if he were ready for an inspection parade. Sister Joan took in the classic profile, the wide shoulders, the light blue eyes that
‘She was probably killed within an hour or two of her leaving home.’
‘How do you know?’
‘We don’t exactly, but she’d been dead long enough for rigor mortis to wear off. She might have been held somewhere for a day or two, of course, but it’s not likely. There hadn’t been the smallest sign of a struggle.’
‘And she wasn’t killed in the school?’
‘Almost certainly not. She was killed somewhere else and then put in the school after that area had been searched. There was a routine search on the moors after she was reported missing so her body was kept somewhere until it was fairly safe to move it.’
‘The door was unlocked when I went there.’
‘A couple of our men searched the school and found the front door unlocked too. They left it as it was. I assume it had been unlocked by whoever was there last.’
‘Not guilty,’ Sister Joan said promptly. ‘We usually did lock up during termtime but after the children had taken their things home there wasn’t much left for anyone to bother stealing. This isn’t an inner city area with lots of petty crime.’
‘I agree. Crime, when it comes, tends to be big,’ he said wryly. ‘You didn’t know the girl?’
‘Valerie? No, not at all. She never was a pupil of mine and she would have attended the parish church. Father Malone says she was a quiet, good girl.’
‘Yes. He told us that too. Well, it looks as if you have no further involvement in the case.’ His tone was faintly regretful. ‘You found the body and that means you might be called for the inquest though the coroner might be satisfied with a statement. After that it won’t directly concern you. You can go back to ringing bells and ordering soup. Surely soup isn’t all you get for lunch?’
‘We get bread, water and fruit with it. They don’t starve us in the order, you know.’
‘But they don’t encourage you to indulge either, do they? Every mouthful subject to discipline.’
‘Which frees us to concentrate on the important things, like prayer and meditation, but you might not appreciate how vital those things are.’
‘I reckon I don’t.’ He made a sudden restless movement among the papers on his desk. ‘Would you believe I tried praying about my marriage once? It didn’t make a blind bit of difference.’
‘Then I’m sorry, but perhaps it’s too soon to tell.’
‘Perhaps. I’ll reserve judgement. And I’ve two fine boys.’
‘And I have to drive back to the convent. Sister Teresa makes very tasty soup.’ She had risen, holding out her hand with a frank smile that precluded any intimate revelations.
‘Thank you for your help, Sister. I’ll see you to the car.’ He was equally formal.
‘There’s no need. Surely you have work to do?’
‘Plenty, and if I do find five minutes to relax Sergeant Barratt, our new broom in Bodmin, is here with suggestionsas to how a conscientious police officer can fill an idle hour.’
‘You don’t like him?’
‘He’s keen,’ he said wryly. ‘Spends two-thirds of his life here since he arrived. You met his wife.’
‘After you pressured her into giving me a lift. She seems very pleasant, a bit out of things but then they’ve only just moved here, haven’t they?’
‘A couple of weeks ago. Barratt was in Birmingham but he was transferred here to a rural area because the powers that be reckoned his chances of promotion would be enhanced or words to that effect. Ours not to reason why. I wish he wasn’t quite so enthusiastic, makes me feel I ought to be getting ready to queue up for a cheap bus pass or something. Give my regards to Mother Prioress – wait.’
On the verge of opening the car door for her he stopped, straightening up, as Sergeant Barratt strode down the road. Though he was in plain clothes he looked as smart as if he were ready for an inspection parade. Sister Joan took in the classic profile, the wide shoulders, the light blue eyes that
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