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took two mild-strength tablets in the mornings and she had her tipple last thing at night by which time the drug would have passed through her system anyway. No, there were traces of the powdered tablets in the dregs of the tea and whisky. Nobody could have drunk that by accident.’
    ‘There wasn’t any note?’
    ‘Nothing at all. People don’t always leave notes behind, you know. Father Stephens said that she’d seemed distraite last evening. He got the impression that there was something she wanted to say to him but he was busy all evening telling the new priest about his parish duties so the opportunity didn’t arise.’
    ‘She wanted to speak to me,’ Sister Joan said. ‘Sherang the convent and asked me if I was coming into town for any groceries this morning and, if so, would I meet her here for a chat.’
    ‘She didn’t mention what it was she wished to talk about?’
    ‘Something she’d remembered—’ Sister Joan hesitated . ‘Then the line started to crackle and she rang off. I asked Mother Dorothy for leave to meet her here and came along this morning.’
    ‘You said that you don’t have particular friends,’ Detective Sergeant Mill said, ‘but you know as well as I do that even nuns like some people more than others.’
    ‘I hardly knew Mrs Fairly at all,’ Sister Joan said. ‘Yesterday, after Father Malone’s send-off, I showed Father Timothy to the presbytery and she asked me in for a cup of tea before I went back to the convent. She seemed a nice, ordinary woman, rather proud of being housekeeper for the priests – not in a nasty way but being in that job does confer a certain status in the parish.’
    ‘Was she upset about Father Malone going away for a year?’
    ‘Well, naturally she was going to miss him – oh no!’ Sister Joan broke off, her dark-blue eyes twinkling despite her distress at the news she had just heard. ‘If you’re thinking she had a crush on Father Malone, forget it. Contrary to popular myth housekeepers don’t fall in love with their priests, and Father Malone is scarcely likely to inspire an unrequited passion. No, she was sure that she was going to miss him but she was looking forward to having a newcomer to do things for and boss about. Fuss over, I ought to say. In a maternal sort of way. Certainly she wasn’t in any deep depression when I saw her yesterday.’
    ‘But she was – distraite when she spoke to you over the telephone?’
    ‘It was merely an impression I had. She sounded –uncertain, puzzled about something or other. Anyway we agreed to meet and then I had to go and ask for leave from Mother Dorothy.’
    ‘Make your arrangements and then ask for permission ?’ His voice teased her.
    ‘It was an oversight,’ she said, her mouth quirking. ‘Anyway Mother Dorothy decided it was better to allow me to have my meeting rather than waste money on a phone call cancelling it, and there was always the possibility that I might have been able to help out in some way.’
    ‘Don’t blame yourself in this affair,’ he said quickly. ‘It isn’t your fault that she decided to put an end to herself.’
    ‘She couldn’t have committed suicide,’ Sister Joan said flatly. ‘I’m sorry, but I cannot possibly believe that for one moment.’
    ‘Because she was a Catholic? Sister, Catholics do sometimes commit suicide.’
    ‘Not Mrs Fairly.’ She spoke flatly and with conviction. ‘She wasn’t the type.’
    ‘How many suicides have you known personally, Sister?’
    ‘None really. That makes no difference. Mrs Fairly didn’t commit suicide. She may have taken mild doses of Valium and she was certainly troubled about something but she wanted to talk about it with me. And she was fond of Father Malone; she’d not have been so selfish as to kill herself the instant his back was turned.’
    ‘Then you’re saying she was murdered?’
    He spoke mildly enough but the word made an ugly pattern in the air.
    ‘No, of course not! That’s completely