"No life is perfect  though it may seem to be." "Secrets and discontent lie hidden beneath the smoothest surface." "In this, as in so many things, my life was no exception." "Try and get the 6:00 tonight, please." "I'll do my best." "Promise I'll try." "That's okay." " Good morning, sir." " Morning." "Guess what?" "There's a meeting on Whirlwind at 2." "Oh, really?" "Why?" "What happened?" "Did the French come back into the ring?" "I've no idea, but Mr. Hardy is terribly excited." "Is he indeed?" "What's this about?" " Priscilla says Mike's jumping up and down." " Keep calm, Sherlock." "We've probably given bad advice and we're in for a bollocking." "Got any boredom suppressants?" "Why should I?" "You're the one who needs them." " Good evening." " Hello." "You made it, I'm amazed." "Only just, and no thanks to Simon." "He's always saying how bored he is and then will not shut up." "What was the meeting about?" "Oh, it's a new thing." "I'm not allowed to talk about it." "Oh, James, you are funny." "Has it got one of those mysterious names you all love?" "Project Whirlwind." "Sounds like something out of The Famous Five." "Do you all sit around drinking tea with lashings and lashings of strawberry jam?" "You haven't forgotten you're playing cricket tomorrow?" "Of course I had." "Yes, yes." "Hello, hello." "Oh, you hopeless dog." "You missed me?" "Don't you dare be nice to him." "He dug a hole in the lavender hedge and he's absolutely wrecked it." "You're a bad dog, are you." "I thought we were getting rid of the lavender hedge." "Were we?" "I'm sorry, I've forgotten." "Drink?" "Yes." "Come in." "Come on!" "Sorry, guys." "What is it?" "I can't find the raffle tickets." "Oh, what have you done with them?" "That's it." "They say they were delivered to the house but I don't remember ever seeing them." " Is there a problem?" "Only that I'm supposed to be running a raffle and I've lost the tickets." "Indeed." "Oh, yes, very funny." "Go ask Sarah Tufnell." "She's bound to have spares somewhere." "Come on, James." "Sorry." "They're a bit bashed, but they'll have to do." "I suppose I'd better buy one." " Who's that?" " Lord Rawston's son, William." "Golly." "That's William Bule?" "I thought he was in New York." "Well, he is." "Or rather, was." " I gather he's moving back." " What's he like?" "Do you know, honestly, I've hardly seen him since his wedding." " He used to be quite a pal of David's." " He's married then?" "Divorced." "Shame, really." "She was rather sweet." "Still, here we are." " Excuse me." " I'm so sorry." " Now, what can I get you?" " Two teas, please." "I've got to sit down." "I'm nearly dead." "How's James getting on?" "Holding his own." "He's always in for hours, but he never seems to score any runs." "What's he do?" "Something high-powered in the city?" "He's a solicitor." "Is that high-powered?" " I assume he's very good." " He's very expensive." "They're closing up in the tent." "I thought I'd steal this for you." "You're a lifesaver." "Can I give you a hand with the tickets?" "You're serious?" "That would be simply wonderful." "I'm completely defeated." "I'm sorry, you must know each other." "Maggie Pierce, William Bule." "Yes, I know Mr. Bule." "I used to work up at the house when his mother was alive." "Yes." "Well, I better get going." "I'd forgotten she worked for your parents." "How long was she there?" " Quite long." " Oh, she's been marvelous to us." "She runs the house." "She feeds the dog when we're in London." "Can't think how we'd manage without her." "Oh, God, that's me." "Good luck." "What happened?" "Oh, the husband came back." "He wasn't dead after all." " So who went off with James Mason?" " Nobody." "Turns out he was a Nazi spy." "Well, I'd have gone off with him anyway." "Well, they didn't think like that in 1954." "I wonder if we ought to have a party down here?" "I don't know why you're making that noise." "All you have to do is turn up and drink." "Oh, on that basis, go ahead." "We never entertain." "We must owe everyone within a 20-mile radius." "I've got a better idea." "Let's stop going to them." "Oh, don't be so grumpy." "You're the one who wanted a country life." "I didn't want a country life." "I wanted to get away from London life." "I'm talking about a drink and some nibbles, not an embassy ball." "I'll get it." " Hello?" " Darling." "Oh, no." "Don't say what I think you're gonna say." "I wouldn't if I didn't have to, but there's this guy coming from Paris." "And there's no other time in the history of the world when you can see him." "I'll try and catch the half-past-8 and I should get in about 20 to 10." " I'll meet it." " Oh, don't you dare." "I'll get a taxi." "No, I'll meet it." "It'll give me an excuse to get rid of the stayers." "Everything under control?" "What have you done about the glasses?" "I've borrowed some from Bill Bule." "So you really are organized." "Yes, sir." "What are you doing here?" "I thought you were giving a party." "You're not staying for the meeting." "Afraid we'll reach a decision without you?" "You're like a mountaineer clinging on for dear life to every tiny detail." "You've got to learn to let go, James." "In my experience, mountaineers who let go usually regret it." "You're sweet." "How was it?" "Well, you know." "They came, they drank too much, they left." " How was your meeting?" " Oh, all right." "Needless to say, the French are making a song and dance about everything." "But I think it will be okay." "Well, you're home now." " Who's that?" " Oh, it's Bill." "What's he doing here?" "I couldn't find the car keys." "Wasn't that stupid?" "Yes." "Anyway, he was just leaving so he said he'd bring me." "That really was very kind of you." " Thank you." " Pleasure." "Can we tempt you in for a drink?" "Thanks." " What's that?" " What's what?" "This scratch." "Oh, it's probably some jealous bastard." "I might have scraped a gate or something." "Did Anne tell me you were getting a flat in London?" "Yeah." "Bill has two sons in London." "He likes to see a lot of them." "That must have been difficult when you were in New York." "Yeah." "How old are they?" "The eldest one's about 12, I think and Freddy must be 9 by now, I suppose, or 10." "I thought you were going to take that down." "You really shouldn't raise our hopes like that." "Why should I take it down?" "Because one should never hang bad pictures." " They corrupt one's taste." " I don't think it is bad." "I suppose I wouldn't mind it if he were handsome, but he's got such an odd nose." " You put him there." " Poor old James." " I expect he's an ancestor, is he?" " Yes." "I don't know about an ancestor." "He's a cousin or something, isn't he?" "I must run." "Once more, thank you a million times." " Yes, thanks." " Don't see me out." " What's got into him?" " What do you mean?" "Why on earth was he being so fucking rude?" " Oh, darling." " Don't "oh, darling" me." "You're just as bad." " What?" " You were ganging up on me, I hate that." "No, no, no." "I really hate it." "Darling, I'm sorry." "He was only trying to be funny." "Well, he failed." "You sure this was five minutes?" "Yes." "Why, isn't it right?" " I'll do another." " No, it doesn't matter." " Well, don't eat it if it isn't right." " No, no, no." "It's fine." "It's fine." " Bloody people." " I'll get it." " Hello?" " Anne..." " ... something's happened." " What?" " Who was it?" " Maggie." "Oh, don't tell me she's not coming." " No, she's not." " Typical." "I don't know why you stand for it." "There's been an accident." "I feel rather mean now." " Who is it?" " Her husband." "He's been knocked down." "Christ, is he gonna be all right?" "They don't know." "They've taken him to the hospital in High Wycombe." "That's where she was calling from." "Oh, I'm so sorry." "What a bloody thing." " When was this?" " Yesterday evening." " I've said we'll go straight there." " Where?" "To the hospital." " Why?" " What do you mean, "why"?" "Darling, darling, I'm very sorry that Maggie's husband has been hurt and I hope he recovers, but how can we help?" "I've said we'll go." "She'll be expecting us." "This is kind of you." " How is he?" " Not good." "I'm sure they'll do everything they can." "Do they know what happened?" " I saw it." " You saw it?" "I was looking out the bedroom window." "He was nearly home." "I saw him through the trees in the lane, and suddenly this car shot past." "Must have caught his handlebars or something." "Can you remember what kind of car it was?" "I don't know what I remember." "It was a Jeep or a Range Rover or something like that." "It was all so quick." "Mum you better come." "You go." "I'll stay here as long as you like." " Come in, come in." " Yes, I'm just dropping these off." "Nonsense." "Come right in." "Dump those there for the moment." " All right." " We're in the library." "I've got my two grandsons for the weekend." "William." "James, hello." "I just brought the glasses back." " Do you want a drink?" " No, no, I don't think so." "Charles, turn that bloody thing down or go and watch it upstairs." "Come on." "I hear there's been an accident." "Yes." "Poor old Joe." "He used to work here." "Is he gonna be all right?" "I don't know." "Anne's with them now." " Sit down." " Yes, thank you." " It just depends." " I am sorry." "Have they any idea who did it?" "Well, his wife thinks she saw someone in a Range Rover." "I'm sorry, it's just that around here, it might be more helpful if it was someone who wasn't in a Range Rover." " It was a pity we missed you last night." " I was caught up in London." "Although these days, I can't drink more than a thimbleful if I'm driving." "You should have made Bill take you." "Of course, but, like fools, we were in two cars." "I had a meeting and I came straight on." "A meeting?" "I wish you'd stop talking American." "Yet he thinks of himself as a Europrince, a lord of creation." "And the minute the other side say anything to diminish this..." " Yes?" " James, I am sorry." " Anne is on the telephone." " Can't you take a message?" "It seems to be rather urgent." " What is it?" " Maggie's daughter's just rung." "He died two hours ago." "Oh, I'm sorry." "We'll talk about it when I get home." "Of course." "I shouldn't have called." "No, it's just I'm in the middle of something." "Yes, you must get back to work." "Bye." " Maggie, I'm sorry." "So very sorry." " Thank you for coming." " Let's go." " I just want to say something to Maggie." "She's with her children, darling." "Leave it." "No, I want to." "Maggie, we're thinking of you." "Thank you." "Interested?" "I know who can give you a good deal." " No, thanks." "I see..." " Hello, Bill." "How is she?" "Widowed." "What do you want for pudding?" "Oh, what is there?" "Ice cream or fruit or you could have one of those little summer puddings but I'd have to defrost it." "What time did Bill Bule get to the party?" "What?" "When did Bill get to the house on the night of the party?" "I don't know." " About half past 7, I think." "Why?" " No reason." "Except..." "Except I think he had something to do with it." " With what?" " The accident." " That's ridiculous." "He couldn't have." " Why not?" "Because he wasn't coming that way." "He didn't drive from their house." "He came from the other end." " Why?" "What was he doing?" " What do you mean?" "Who was he seeing at the other end of the village?" "He said he was with the Northbrooks." "They're in the opposite direction." "He told me he was at a meeting." " You haven't asked him about it." " No, no, no." "Not like that." "He said he went on to the party from a meeting." "Well, obviously he had a meeting with the Northbrooks." "So, what's it to be:" "Ice cream, fruit or summer pudding?" " Have you got any cheese?" " Yes." "Just cheese." "Hello, Bill." "It's James Manning." "Is this a good time?" "You just caught me." "There's something I want to talk to you about." "Yeah?" "I don't want to discuss it over the telephone." "Are you in London this week?" "So, what's the problem?" "I don't really know how to put it but I think you knocked down that man the other day." "No, it wasn't me." " Was it you?" " No." "Then it must have been a third party." " Can we have the red now, please?" " Yes, sir." "Thank you." "You said you were at a meeting before the party." "But according to Anne, you told her that you were with the Northbrooks." " Yes." " Well, which was it?" "Perhaps I was at a meeting with the Northbrooks." " Yes, that's what Anne said." " Well, there you go then." "The Northbrooks were in Spain." "They didn't get back till the weekend." "I telephoned Amelia on Tuesday morning before I rang you." "And that scratch on your car." "Why were you so anxious to get it painted out?" "I didn't think it was very pretty." "Thank you." "Thank you." "Suppose I was somewhere else that night, but I don't want to prove it." "Then you can't complain if people suspect you." "Who's complaining?" "I don't mind in the least, my dear chap." "Or if the police ask the same question." "I assume it's asking too much to expect you just to leave it alone?" " Yes, it is." " Why is it?" "Well, at the risk of sounding stuffy, I like to do the right thing." "It's the way I am." "Well?" "Oh, well, have it your own way." "I did it." "Can I?" "Can I rely on you to turn yourself in?" "You know, this will cause my father and my children a great deal of suffering." "I know you don't believe me but I am extremely sorry the accident took place." "But the fact is it did." "None of us can change that." "So you'll telephone the police today?" "Tomorrow." "Tomorrow." " Can I get you anything?" " No, thanks." "I had lunch with Bill Bule today." " Aren't you surprised?" " Should I be?" "I asked him about the accident." "He said he was responsible for it." " He did it." "It was his fault." " So what happens next?" " What do you think happens next?" "He goes to the police, they bring charges." "I don't know." "And all that's absolutely necessary?" "Yes, it's absolutely necessary." "How will it help?" "What do you mean?" "I don't see how it'll help." "Bill's made a mistake." "A horrible, tragic mistake, and a man is dead but it's not as if he'll do it again." "I mean, he's no risk to anyone else." "That's ridiculous." "Of course, you're perfect, as we all know but even you do sometimes make mistakes." "I don't usually kill people." "Then there's his father and the boys, what about them?" "You want to wreck all those lives?" " I don't see that I've got a choice." " You do have a choice." "You've done your stuff." "You've solved the mystery." "Can't you leave it to Bill to go to the police?" "He's the one who has to live with it." "I don't understand you." "Of course I can't leave it up to Bill." "And what about Maggie?" "Last week, you were sobbing in the hospital." "Now you want to hide the killer." "It's nonsensical." " Sure." " What is this?" "Am I missing something?" "Yes." "I was with him." "What?" "In the car, I was with him." "Why?" "It will not surprise you to learn that I'd forgotten to check the drink for the party." "And around 5, I suppose I realized there wasn't any vodka." "Then I'd lost the car keys." "So I rang Bill and he gave me a lift to the new Sainsbury's and on the way home, we stopped at a pub." "Why?" " I don't know why, we felt like it." " So he was drunk." "He wasn't drunk." "Neither of us was drunk." "No, but he'd had a drink before he drove you home." "We'd both had a drink." "Anyway I was driving." " Slow down." " Don't fuss, I've got the hang of it now." " For God's sake." " Blimey." "There is something very powerful-making about these things." "Could you be a little less powerful, please, and calm down..." "Jesus!" "Why didn't you stop?" "I don't know." "Was it Bill?" "Didn't he want you to stop?" "He didn't think we'd hit him." "We certainly didn't know that he was really hurt." "Oh, I don't believe this." "What are we going to do?" "Whatever you want." "You must decide, James." "I'll do whatever you want." "Never mind me, what do you want?" "I don't want Bill to confess to something that I've done." " So I suppose I better go to the police." " No, no, no, you can't do that." "Why not?" "Because they'll send you to prison." "Then that's where I belong." "You can come and visit me and bring me a cake with a file in it." "Do you mean to use that plate?" "Yes!" "I'm so, so sorry." "Anyway, they..." "They haven't got much to go on." "Even if Maggie gets the car right, it's not much." "Nothing they can make stick." " They can if I help them." " You're not going to prison." "I've done wrong." "I ought to be punished." "Well, that's very noble of you but the problem is, you won't be the only one to take the punishment." ""Top Solicitor's Wife in Hit-and-Run Killing."" "Exactly." " Why was it different for Bill?" " What?" "You didn't mind his family being involved." "Why is it different for me?" " You'd better ring him." " Oh, never mind Bill." "Have you decided what you want to do?" "Nothing, I suppose." "You want me to do nothing." "I don't see the point in wrecking our lives as well." "Now you sound like Bill." "Oh, fuck Bill!" " That's the thing." " What?" "I do fuck Bill." "Or rather, he fucks me." "I'm so sorry." "Can I ask you an enormous favor?" "I want to get Anne away for a few days." "I wonder if you could cover for me." "Priscilla knows what's going on and I have a telephone." "Could you bare to keep an eye on things?" "Of course." "Where are you going?" "Well, it doesn't matter much." "Someplace where we won't meet anyone we know." "Thanks." "I'll see you later." "I've let you down, haven't I?" "I must have done, or none of this would've happened." "No, you haven't." "It was my fault." "I did it." "I did everything." "Can't we just leave it at that?" "No, no, no." "We can't leave it." "I need to understand it." "Look, here am I, thinking we are very happy only to discover that, on the contrary, we, or at any rate, you are very unhappy." " No." "Well, what is it?" "Am I thoughtless?" "Am I unkind?" "Or is it something more prosaic?" "Am I bad lover?" "Is that it?" "Is his cock bigger than mine?" " Does he give you more orgasms than I do?" " No, it..." "He isn't..." "It's nothing like that." "Well, what is it?" "He's easy to be with." "He doesn't seem to want anything from me." " And that's good, is it?" " Yes, it's good." "It's very good." "You have such standards, James." "Whatever I do, I always feel that I am letting you down in some way." "That I'm not measuring up." "I'm getting it wrong." "I'm disappointing you." "And you don't disappoint him?" "I don't think he cares enough either way." "And that's just so relaxing." "I'm sorry I'm not more relaxed." "Killing someone seems to stick in my mind." "Do you know what I think?" "I think we should've had a child." "I shouldn't have let you give up." "Is that what you think?" "Well God knows I tried hard enough." "Anyway the thought of a baby yowling away nonstop and you wondering why the drawing room wasn't tidy or the wine wasn't cold..." "I can't see it, can you?" "Why do they come to these tomb-like hotels if they've got nothing to say to each other?" "What now?" "I suppose we go back to London and I tell Bill that it's finished." "And I get over him and we forget about the accident." "And we start again." "Can you do that?" "I don't know." "I haven't got a better idea, have you?" "No." "No, you simply have to put it behind you." "You said so yourself." "I know." "I know I do." "It's just that it doesn't seem to want to get behind me quite yet." "You've had a good break, that's the main thing." "Does you good to get away." "I wish you'd go away for a bit, we can manage." "Thank you, but I don't want to." "Not just yet." "Not while they're working on it anyway." " Are they getting anywhere?" " Oh, I think so." "That's what they say." "You've got to trust them, haven't you?" "I'll take these upstairs." "Don't punish yourself." "Somebody's got to." "Now for the next Station of the Cross." "What?" "Bill." "I've got to tell him it's over." "You don't have to do that now." "No time like the present, as Nanny used to say." "It does have to be absolute, does it?" "You're certain we can't keep him as a friend?" "I am." "Because I can assure you, it wouldn't embarrass him." "He doesn't care enough about me for that." "No, it's a little too Jerry Springer for me, I'm afraid." "And I do care about you." "Right." "Well, off I jolly well go." " Darling, we've got a visitor." " Who?" "Inspector Marshall." "The inspector's handling the inquiry into Joe's death." "He's come up from Buckinghamshire." "Oh, how do you do?" " Weren't you at the funeral?" " Yes." "Yes, I..." "I remember you." "How nice of you to go." "Well, please, go through." "Sit down." "I was up in London and I wanted to catch you both." "You never know with weekenders when they'll be back." "Yes, well, we're going down tomorrow." "But I'm delighted." "Whatever we can do to help." "How are you enjoying life in Buckinghamshire?" "I was born there, so I'm used to it." "Has?" "Has Anne offered you a drink?" "Oh, nothing for me, thank you." "So..." "I understand you gave a party the night Mr. Pierce was run down." " Yes, well, Anne did." " Oh, you yourself weren't present at it?" "No, no, no." "I was held up in London." "So you don't know the comings and goings of the guests." "Obviously not." "And you must have been very busy." "Yes, I can't see where this is going." "The incident happened near your house, at approximately quarter past 6 when a lot of people were on their way to your house many of them driving powerful cars on roads that were unfamiliar." "Might I have a list of your guests?" "I can't believe there's any connection." "In a manslaughter case, we try and be thorough." "Of course you do." "If you can wait while I go through this smorgasbord I call my desk." "Yes." "Yes, I can wait." " So things are moving along?" " We like to think so, sir." "Did you know that Mrs. Pierce has a criminal record?" "Yes, I knew she had a bit of bother a few years ago." "You make her sound like a great train robber." " She told you then?" " Yes." "What difference does it make?" "You can expect things to get uncomfortable for her in court." "She's the key witness, if you see what I mean." "You think it's gonna go to court?" "We hope so, sir." "We certainly hope so." "He can't suspect you." "One person not driving to a party is surely the hostess." " Should we ring Bill?" " No." " I only meant to warn him." " No." "All right." " What train are you getting tomorrow night?" " I'm going to be late." "There's another meeting for this Whirlwind thing." "I'll get a taxi." " Oh, don't be silly." " Honestly, I won't get back before 10." "Anne." "Anne." "Wake up, you're dreaming." "You're dreaming, darling." "Wake up." "It's a dream." "You were dreaming." "Okay." "I don't know if I can do this, James." "Of course you can." "I don't know." "I don't think I'm cut out for a life of crime." "I suppose I am." "Can't we just tell them?" " Wouldn't it be better in the long run?" " What are you saying?" "You have no idea what they'll do to you." "Yes, I do." "And it makes me so scared that I can hardly breathe." "But I don't think I can stand this much longer." "Well, you must." "It's too late for all that." "We've passed that point." "We just have to go forward now." "We have to go forward." "No, I want to check the wording on this one again." "Mr. Hardy's okayed it." " I want to check the wording again." " Fine." "An Inspector Marshall rang yesterday after you'd gone." "I told him to try you at home." "Yes, fine." "He came around last night." "There was a hit-and-run accident near our house in the country." "Was someone hurt?" "Oh, killed, I'm afraid." "The husband of our cleaner." "God, how terrible." "I'm sorry." " Do they have any idea who did it?" " No." "No, I don't think so." " Drunk, I suppose." " No, they..." "They just think someone came around the corner too fast." "Of course, they could have been drunk, now I think of it." "Greetings." "I bring tidings of comfort and joy." " What?" " There's an air strike in Paris." "The meeting's off." "Mike's going home and so are we." " What's more, I'm giving you a lift." " What?" "I'm staying near High Wycombe, which means I pass within two miles of you." " That's kind." "Are you sure?" " We're going now to beat traffic." " Just let me ring Anne first." " No answer." "Try Anne's mobile, leave a message and then you can go home early yourself for a change." "Don't worry, I will." "Are you all right?" "Only, you seem rather preoccupied lately." "Do I?" "I wondered if everything had settled down." "Yes." "Yes, thank you." "Good." " This is not you, I assume." " No, our local milord's." "Crikey!" "I don't envy the villagers if they drive like that." "Was that one of the family?" "I..." "I don't know, I couldn't see." "Next left." "Anne?" " Surprise." " Not quite." "I got a message from Priscilla about 10 minutes ago." "Hello, Simon." " What can we get you?" " Nothing." " But can I see the house?" " Of course." " How much did you have to do?" " It wasn't too bad." "Bye." "Bye." "You came out of the gates as we drove into the village." "Aren't you going to deny it?" "There's no point, is there?" " You said you'd given him up." " Yes." "Well, I was lying, wasn't I." "Are you going to give him up?" "No." "James if I could, I would." "I meant to when I went up there." "But I couldn't." "I don't know why." "Maybe it's love after all." "But even if it isn't, if it's only lust or desperation or neurosis I know that if I promise to finish with him, I'll break that promise." "I said I'd end it, and I meant to but I can't." "I see." "Yes?" " James?" " Yes." " You gotta come over here right away." " What are you talking about?" "You and Anne, you must come over here now." " No." " What do you mean, "no"?" "I mean I know what you've done, you shit." "And if you were the last man on earth, I wouldn't set foot in any house or an inch of land associated with you." "Yes, yes, we'll do all that later." "The thing is, you must come now." "There's a witness." "It's a guy in the local garage." "He rang just after you left." "He knows about the scratch." "Oh, Jesus, you didn't have it resprayed around here." "No, I'm not a complete idiot." "Of course I didn't." "But I filled up before I went to London." "And I went back this morning and he noticed the scratch was gone." "Apparently, they've been asking questions at the garages." " No." " Sure?" " Will he report it?" " Well, he said he felt he ought to." "I couldn't think of a reason why he shouldn't." "No." "I told him it couldn't possibly be me, but I doubt that made any difference." "Why not?" "Why couldn't it be you?" "Because you telephoned me here at a quarter past 6 that night." " Well, why would I?" " I don't know." "You couldn't get through to the vicarage." "You had a surprise for Anne." "What does it matter?" "The point is, you better have a story ready." " But the records in the office will show..." " For chrissake, James." "You borrowed a mobile and can't remember whose." "You went out for cigarettes and rang from a call box." "Just think of something." "Unless we tell the truth and take the consequences." " All right." " Good." "Here's another fine mess you've got me into." "Okay, when?" "Tomorrow morning then." "Goodbye." "Well, talk of the devil." "Would I be in tomorrow morning as a certain P.C. Marshall wants to call on me?" "He's an inspector." "He came to see us in London." "It doesn't mean anything." "Well, that's all right then, isn't it?" "I won't bring it up unless he asks." "If he does, I'll say you rang from the train you were on because Anne was engaged." " Okay, okay." " Good." "That concludes the business." "Oh, is that it?" "We stand around drinking, then I push off while you go upstairs and fuck my wife?" " That sounds about right." " You bastard." "You bloody fucking shitty bastard." " Jesus Christ." " Fuck." "Hello?" "You're drunk." "Yes." "Why have you come back?" "His father's there." "Oh, bad luck." "So, what's next on the agenda?" "Aren't you going to fill me in?" "Presumably we shall not be returning to Wales for another heart-to-heart." "Bill's going racing at Longchamp." "He's leaving tomorrow." "He's asked me to go with him." "Right." "He thought we might stay on in Paris for a couple of weeks." "Oh, I see." "I see." "So have we reached what they call "the end of the road"?" "Do you want a divorce?" "I just want everybody to stop being so unhappy." " What?" " Only I shall be in Paris next week, as you very well know." " No, I don't." " The final grand meeting for Whirlwind." "I'd forgotten, I'm sorry." "Oh, don't be, please." "It'll be fun." "You with your lover, me slaving in misery across the way." "My work's always been a source of hilarity for you." "I like to think you can still get a good laugh out of it." "Oh, James, please don't be like this." "Why not?" "How should I be?" "You can have "suicidal," "bitter" or "glad to be rid of you."" "Only I can't manage the last, so I think I'll stick to "bitter."" "Will I see you when we're there?" "Fuck off." "I suppose you'll be at the George V." "Fuck off." " You looking for me?" " If it's not too inconvenient." " Well, the thing is, I've got a lunch." " It won't take long." " I thought we could go up to your office." " Of course." "It seems Mr. Bule's car was in some sort of collision on or around the night Mr. Pierce died." "I should ask him about it then." " We have." " And what did he say?" "That he can't have anything to do with Mr. Pierce's death." "He says you rang him at Madeley Park at a quarter past 6 that night." " Yes." " Why was that?" "Anne was engaged and I wanted to confirm which train I was going to be on and I knew Bill was going to the party." "And the call was from this office." "No, no." "No, not exactly, now you say it." "I was in the building but out of the office." "I borrowed somebody's mobile, though, for the life of me, I can't remember whose." "And it was definitely a quarter past 6?" "It must've been around then, because after the call I collected some papers for a 6:30 meeting." "Well, if that's true, it would seem to settle it." "It is true." "What's your opinion of Mrs. Pierce as a witness?" "What do you mean?" "I mentioned that she was in trouble a few years ago." " Oh, yes." " Well, she was convicted of theft." "She told us about it when we employed her." "It's a long time ago, inspector." "You know who was the main witness against her." "The Honorable William Bule." "She was working at his parents' house." "He was the one who said she took it." "He said he'd seen her do it." "The point being she's made a statement saying that it was Bule's car she saw that night." "Well, how can she be sure?" "She said it happened so fast." "Well, she says she is sure." "But that's why I asked the question." "Especially now you've confirmed that you spoke to him at the same time as the crash." "You see my difficulty, sir." "You mean she might be trying to incriminate him for some sort of revenge?" "Sir?" "I don't think Maggie would deliberately lie about something like that." "No?" "No." "Do you, by any chance, feel like buying a couple of opera seats for tomorrow night?" " I'm stuck with them." " What is it?" "An incredibly dreary production of Turandot." "The tickets are about a million pounds each." " Tempting." "The answer's no." " You don't want to check with Anne?" "Well, she's away at the moment." "She's in Paris." "Are you meeting up with her next week?" "I don't know." "I don't think so." "I'm off." "Are you on your own then?" "Yes, yes." "Fridge pie for me, I'm afraid." "I don't suppose you'd fancy a bowl of my spaghetti instead." "Well, that's very charming, but I give you enough trouble during the day." "It's no trouble." "I've made this huge bowl of sauce." "Don't know why." "You're sweet but I think I'm due an early night." "Of course." "I just remembered I'd made this huge bowl of sauce." "Yes, well, I'll see you tomorrow." "James Manning." "Yes, Mr. Manning." "We're expecting you." "Here we are." "Room 432." "We also have a message for you." "Dearest James, please let's meet." "You'll say no, of course." "No." "Thank you." "James?" "James?" "Of course, monsieur." "Hello?" "Yes, it's..." " It's me." "Is he there?" " No." "Good." "Will you let me see you?" "What are you doing for dinner?" "We're going to Fouquet's." "What about tomorrow?" "I've got a lunch, but I'm free in the morning." "Let's meet in the Parc Monceau at half past 11." "By the statue of Guy de Maupassant." "Do you remember it?" "I remember." "Well, here we are again." "I've always loved this place." " You look well." " So do you." "Marshall came to the office last week." "He wanted to check the story about the phone call." "So now you're in it." "Wasn't I before?" "Did you know that Bill was the main witness against Maggie?" " Yes, he told me." " When?" "A few days ago." "Why didn't he tell you earlier?" "What difference does it make?" "She's identified his car." "They think she might be lying in order to implicate him." "She wouldn't do that." "Well, I know, but, crazy as it is, if they think that, it could help you." "I wish you'd let me tell them the truth right from the beginning." "Well, that's not what happened." "That's what Bill says." "I thought you could do with this." "That's very kind of you." "None of this is Anne's fault." "I know who I blame, and it isn't her." "I don't know how helpful it is to blame anyone, really." "I don't agree." "Some people are wreckers." "We're all wreckers." "We make choices." "We make them for the best and most loving reasons but we don't see the damage we cause." "With what's happened between you both there's something I ought to tell you." " Yes?" "You know the accident when Joe was killed." " Yes?" "Mr. Bule was driving." "Well, how do you know that?" "Did you see him?" "It was him." "It was his car." "I've told the inspector." "I've made a statement." "Well, what did he say?" "Only that Bule's cooked up some alibi." "But he's lying." "Or he's got someone to lie for him." "I'm sure the inspector knows what to do if anyone's lying." "Yeah, that's what he said, that they know how to catch them out." "But I can't stand the thought of Anne being mixed up in it." "You're a very good friend to her." "Before I met Anne, I hadn't worked for eight years." "When you're a cleaner and you tell people you've been convicted of theft it's like leprosy." "They don't want you near them." "They don't want you touching their things." "And Anne wasn't like that?" "When I told her, do you know what she said?" "I've never forgotten it." "She said:" ""We've all got stuff in our past that wasn't too clever."" "And she never asked for thanks." "She just gave me back my life." "Why did you tell people?" "They wouldn't have found out." "There's a Londoner talking." "Anyway, it would've been lying to keep silent, wouldn't it?" "Sometimes not speaking is a lie." "I suppose so." "Isn't there anything you could say to make her see sense?" "If there was, don't you think I'd have said it?" "I'm a little tired, that's all." "I don't suppose that spaghetti's still on offer." "I let you sleep for a bit while I popped out." "Thank you." "I thought you could have a proper breakfast for once." " Well, I was thinking of..." " Just once wouldn't hurt." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "James, it's Bill." "Where are you?" "Never mind where I am." "What do you want?" "It's Anne." "I've got to see you now, at once." "Tell your office you can't come in." "Why?" "What's happened to her?" "She's all right." "I'll explain when I see you." "We had a row last night." "A big one." " What about?" " Everything." "That chap telephoned, the policeman." "He wanted to go over your story again." " And?" " Well, I confirmed it, of course." "No problem." "Blah, blah, blah." "Absolutely fine." "I put down the phone and she started." "Sobbing, wailing she can't go on with it, she's ruined all our lives "nothing's going to be right until we've faced it," so on." "Jesus." "When I woke up this morning she was gone." "So the question is would she have gone to Maggie's or straight to the police?" " She'd have gone to Maggie's." " How can you be sure?" "Because I know her." "You shouldn't have come." "It won't matter." "I've already rung the police and left a message." "They'll be here any minute." "And don't tell me I'm wrong." "You know if it had been anybody else but me you'd have done this long ago." " It was you." "Help me, James." "Just tell her." "I can't make her believe me." "Will someone explain what's going on?" "Please, James, just tell her." "Don't." "Anne was responsible for the accident." "She's very, very sorry." "And so am I." "That's what she keeps saying, but it's not true." "Maggie, what do I have to say to you?" "I killed Joe." "No." "That's not right!" "That's not what happened!" "Why are you letting her say this?" "Maggie, that may be what you and the inspector think, but you're wrong." "It wasn't him, it was me." "I did it." "It was his car." "Don't tell me it wasn't!" "I saw it!" " He lied about that, didn't he?" " Yes, he lied and so did James, and so did I, and yes, it was his car and yes, he was there, but I promise you, I was driving." "Mrs. Pierce, I had a message..." "Well, it's quite a gathering." "Well, Mrs. Manning, here I am." " Do you have something to tell me?" " Anne was anxious to know if there had been any news about Joe." "She's been away." "Just a minute, she said... " "I hope you haven't come chasing out here for no reason." "But she didn't mean for her message to be taken as urgent." " Did you, love?" " Now, look!" "I came because you had something to tell me." "What is it?" "Oh, what a shame." "Dragging you out here for nothing." "I am sorry." "She should've waited." "I could've told her what was going on." "Don't do this." "You don't have to do this." "You don't owe them anything, and they wouldn't do it for you." "I don't know what you mean, inspector." "Do what exactly?" "I've become quite an expert on these." "I've been running after them all over the county since your husband died." "It was one just like this, wasn't it, Mrs. Pierce?" "Quite like it, yes." "Although now I've come to look at it close shape of the front was a bit different." "Can't explain how exactly it just made a different outline." "I see." "Because you were so sure before." "Yes, I know." "Funny, isn't it?" "Can you drop me off at the house?" "I'll go up tomorrow." "Of course." "We'll head straight back to London, is that all right?" "No." "I think I'll stay with James." "If that's okay with you, James." "Certainly it is." "Right." "You all right?" "Fine." "She was tired of feeling guilty, and so, in the end, she stayed." "It might have worked." "I think it would've worked but for a chance encounter some months later  with an unlikely instrument of fate." "Manning?" " It is James Manning, isn't it?" " Yes, it is." "Angus Burrell." "Trinity Hall, '74." "Yes, of course." "How are you?" " What are you up to?" " Oh, nothing much." "Army since I last saw you, then farming." "Just about managing to feed my descendants." "What about you?" "You're a bigwig solicitor." "Oh, not really." " Family?" " Married, no children." "Very wise." "I've got four of them." "Where have you come from?" " Buckinghamshire." " Is that where you live now?" "No, we have a house down there, at Madeley, near High Wycombe." "Oh, really?" "I've got cousins in Madeley." "Do you know the Bules?" " A bit." " It's a frightful business about Bill, isn't it?" " Why, what's happened?" " Oh, didn't you know?" "He's got cancer." "Riddled apparently." "They've whipped him in." "Doesn't sound as if they'll operate." "We're all just so desperately sorry for the old boy." "Just as he was ready to hand over." "Got the grandsons, of course, but the oldest one's only 12." "We've sent flowers, but it's so difficult to know what to do for the best." "Well, I'd better get going." "Nice to see you." "I hope we can meet up before too long." " Yes, why not." " Okay, bye." "Hello, stranger." "How are you?" "How do you think?" "Sit down." "Thank you." "How's Anne?" " Fine." " Good." "Everything going well?" "Yes." "I'm glad." "We seem to have got away with the Pierce thing." "Yes, thanks..." "Thanks to Maggie." "Well, she didn't like me much." "With good cause." "She took the money, you know." "Of course, I know I'm the villain of the piece, but she did take it." "I don't think either of us are in a..." "In a strong position to criticize her." "Is Anne okay about it all?" "I don't know about okay but it seems it's enough that Maggie knows." "Good." "Look, is there anything..." "Anything I can do for you?" "Anything you want?" " How did you find out I was here?" " I ran into a cousin of yours, Angus Burrell." "It's supposed to be a secret." "Does Anne know?" " No." " Good." "Don't tell her." "She'll find out in the end, but it won't matter then." "She'll find out from your father." "No, he won't say anything, I promise." "Just don't tell her now." "I know you want to." "And you already think you ought to." "You feel it's cheating to keep quiet." "But if you do, you'll only get hurt." "You're very sure of yourself." "James, don't be a Boy Scout all your life." "You've been through one storm, that's enough." "Just leave it in peace." "Let her be happy." "Please." "But of course, I couldn't." "And when he's dead?" "I don't know." "Perhaps he won't be dead." "People don't always die." "Yes, they do." "Why did you have to tell me, James?" "He didn't want me to." "I think he wanted you to read it in the papers when it was finished." "That sounds like him." "Would that have been better, to have kept quiet?" "Oh, James." "Good, better, bad, worse I'd still have been with you." "As it is, I'm going away." "You know me." "I fail every test you set me but you keep setting them." "Why?" "I don't know." "Which monarch was known as "the wisest fool in Christendom"?" "James I?" "Charles I?" "Edward I?" " Shit." " Henry I?" " Hello." " Hello, James." "Please, please, come in." "I was on my way up to the country." "Thought I'd just look in." "Yes, I was just having something to eat." " Bachelor cuisine, I see." " Yes." " Would you like a drink?" " Thank you." " Whiskey?" " Thanks." "How have you been?" " All right." " You're much missed in the village." "I don't think the new people are going to stay there very long." "He's in television." "She's in decorating." "So, of course, they know everything about life in the country." "Thank you." "I feel very badly about not coming before this." "I know we all rather kept clear when you were packing up, but it seemed a bit..." "Of course." "You'll think I'm being stupid but I'm really here because I wanted to tell you that she's been absolutely marvelous." "I'm probably wrong and I don't expect you to see it but I thought it might somehow help to know what a difference she's made." "Yes, yes, I can see it." "Thank you." "How is he?" "Not too good, I'm afraid." "But, you know, he's had, what, 15 months, is it?" "I don't think he'd have had that many weeks without her." "So you do understand, but I sort of have to be glad that she's with him." "Yeah, of course you do." "I'm frightfully sorry about this." "It's just that you love them so much, you see it doesn't matter how grown-up they are or even how they turn out." "I know William's been a bit of a bastard in his time." "He's my son, you see." "I just love him so much." "Yes." "Yes." "James?" "What a night." "Well, I'm sorry to drag you out." "Is Bill here or in the hospital?" "No, he's here." "He doesn't want to..." "He wants to be here." "But you've got some help." "Christ, it's like ER up there." "I wanted to see you." "Richard Rawston came around tonight." "He..." "He told me how wonderful you've been." "He's so dear." "He said he..." "He didn't think it would go on for much longer." "That's why I wanted to come." "To tell you that I loved you." "Oh, James." "No, no." "No, I'm saying it wrong." "I've said it wrong." "I mean I love you, and I'm on your side and I do understand." "I don't know if you think about me at all but if you do, I don't want you to feel sad or guilty." "Not anymore." "I just want you to feel good." "About me, about us, about..." "About our time together." "I think of you." "Well, there, that's it." "I've said it." "You..." "You better go back." "He'll be wondering where you are." "Thank you." " I wonder, did you see this?" " What is it?" ""William Bule, age 39, peacefully in his sleep, after a long illness bravely borne." "Beloved son of Richard and father of Charles and Frederick."" "Poor old Anne." "Is she sorry now, the way it worked out?" "I don't think so." "I wish she was, really but I don't think so." "Well, say I'm sorry if you talk to her." "Yes, yes, thank you, I will." "And me too." "Say I'm sorry when you see her." "Of course I will." "Thank you." " It's nice of you to come." " And you don't mind?" "He was very fond of you, you know." "You don't believe me, but he was." "You going up to the house?" "Oh, no point, really." "Be full of cousins catching up." "No, I don't think I'm gonna go either." " What about his father?" " Oh, he'll be all right." "He's got the boys and their mother." "He quite likes her, actually." "No my time is done." "They're his family now." "So, what will you do?" "Push off back to London, I suppose." "I could give you a lift." "That's kind, but I've got my ticket." "You can drive me to the station, if you like." "Where will you go?" "Back to the flat." "There's no problem." "So..." "So I don't have to worry about you." " No." " Good." "When's your train?" "It doesn't matter, really." "There's one every half an hour." "I don't suppose you've got time for some lunch." "I have if you have."