‘There’s a lot more in the letter,’ his wife said. ‘I’ve got it here.’ She began to read: ‘l’ve studied the case myself and there are lots of questions to answer. There was an inheritance, but it was not spoken about at the trial. Three people received a lot of money after Mrs Primero died and one of them was at Victor’s Piece the day that she was killed. I think that Father could get the police to re-open the case. Why doesn’t he try harder?’
‘Now listen, dear,’ said Archery. ‘Write back to Charles and tell him that Tess is being very sensible. Say that I’m having some very interesting talks with the police and I’ll do my best.’
After he had put down the phone, Archery went down to the hotel dining room. After a minute or two, the door from the bar opened and a man and a woman came in. The man was small and dark and the woman with him was tall. Both were
well-dressed. Archery looked away and began eating his lunch.
Later, Archery found number 24 Glebe Road. He pushed open the gate and saw that there were two doors to the house, not one. It was two tiny flats. He knocked at the door of 24a and waited. At first nothing happened. Was Josephine Crilling asleep? Then the door opened and Elizabeth Crilling appeared. It was obvious that she was going out.
‘What do you want?’ she asked. ‘Who are you?’
‘I saw your mother in court this morning,’ he said. ‘15 she at home? Which flat is it?’
‘Bottom,’ said Elizabeth Crilling. ‘Go on in.’
She walked past him into the road.
Archery went into the hall. Three doors led off it but they were all shut.
‘Mrs Crilling?’ he called. The place was hot and silent. He knocked on the middle door and opened it.
The room was thick with cigarette smoke, and everything in it was covered with dust or old newspapers. Mrs Crilling