Free Dying Fall, A by Elly Griffiths Page B

a computer. Probably one of the latest iPricks.’
    Sandy speaks with contempt, and certainly his own computer, which looms over the desk, is not of the cutting-edge variety. It has ‘Property of Blackpool CID’ stamped on the back.
    ‘Maybe it was at the university,’ suggests Nelson.
    ‘No, we checked. He shared an office with another chap. Lots of books but no computer.’
    ‘Why would someone take his computer?’ asks Nelson.
    ‘Search me,’ says Sandy.
    ‘But you’re thinking murder?’
    ‘I don’t think it was an accident, put it that way. I think someone wanted Dan Golding dead.’
    ‘But why? I mean, he was a university professor.’ Despite his association with Ruth—and with Erik—Nelson still imagines a university professor sitting in a book-lined room, writing with a quill.
    Sandy looks at him consideringly for a moment, as if wondering how much to tell him. Then he seems to make a decision, reaching for another file which is lying (Nelson can hardly believe this) on the floor.
    ‘Dan Golding taught at Pendle University,’ he says. ‘It’s one of the new ones, on the outskirts of Preston. Thing is, we’ve had a few funny incidents at Pendle recently.’
    ‘What sorts of incidents?’ asks Nelson. He’s expecting some loony lefty behaviour, animal rights activism perhaps (he’s had experience of that himself recently). So he is amazed when Sandy says, his comedian’s face deadly serious, ‘White supremacists.’
    ‘White supremacists? You mean, like the Ku Klux Klan?’
    Now Sandy does smile, a brief, gummy grin which is soon replaced by the sad clown expression. ‘Lancashire’s version,’ he says. ‘No burning crosses but offensive notes sent to black members of staff, an attempted fire-bombing of a gay pride event, statue of Nelson Mandela defaced. Obviously an organised group, though we haven’t made much headway in identifying the ringleaders. The feeling on campus is very twitchy.’
    Nelson remembers Ruth’s description of Dan feeling ‘intimidated’.
    ‘But why would they target Dan Golding?’ he asks.
    Sandy shrugs. ‘He was Jewish, apparently. That might be cause enough for these bozos. But if this was them—arson with clear attempt to kill—it’s a step up from sending anonymous notes with pictures of monkeys on them.’
    ‘Is that what they do?’
    ‘Yes. Crude little leaflets about the superiority of white Aryan men. Last one was so badly spelt that my sergeant—a university boy—said that if this was Aryan supremacy he was glad to be black.’
    This fits with Nelson’s own experience of the far-right—most of the Neo-Nazis he has met have been so stupid that walking and talking at the same time was an effort. Didn’t stop them being violent, though. He remembers policing a demonstration in Salford that got very nasty.
    ‘Have you got any suspects?’ he asks.
    ‘A few names,’ says Sandy. ‘Nothing definite.’ He doesn’t seem inclined to share these names with Nelson and Nelson doesn’t blame him.
    ‘So Dan Golding might have been killed by Nazi arsonists?’
    Sandy smiles sardonically. ‘Welcome to my world,’ he says.

9
    Nelson thinks about Sandy’s last statement as he drives across Blackpool to his mother’s house, the house where he grew up.
Welcome to my world.
Does Sandy think that Nelson’s world does not include racists, arsonists and other unpleasant forms of humanity? Does he think that Norfolk is all about sheep-stealing? But Sandy mentioned Nelson’s recent cases, he must know that his old friend has been to some very dark places. He was probably just trying to wind him up. That
would
be like the old Sandy. One thing is clear though: the death of Ruth’s old friend Dan is starting to look very suspicious. He will have to ring her and let her know. He wonders what she and Katie are doing at this moment. He knows that Ruth and her archaeologist boyfriend have been on a boating holiday and (grinding gears) he doesn’t mind this