Free A Taste for Death by P. D. James Page B

that of all busy men, was dominated by the clock. He had set aside an hour to visit an old friend. The hour had become unexpectedly available for a private indulgence. He was known to be interested in Victorian architecture. How-ever fantastic the labyrinth into which that impulse had
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    led him, his first visit to St Matthew's at least had had the
    comforting stamp of normality and reason.
    Dalgliesh said:
    'Did you offer to accompany him?'
    'Yes, I offered but he said not to trouble. I didn't press
    it. I thought he might want to be alone.' So, Father Barnes
    was not without sensitivity. Dalgliesh said:
    'So you gave him the key. Which key?'
    'The spare one. There are only three to the south porch.
    Miss Wharton has one and I keep the other two at the
    Vicarage. There are two keys on each ring, one to the
    south door and a smaller key which opens the door in the
    grille. If Mr Capstick or Mr Pool want a key - they're our
    two churchwardens - they come to the Vicarage. It's quite
    close, you see. There's only one key to the main north
    door. I always keep that in my study. I never lend it out
    in case it gets lost. It's too heavy, anyway, for general use.
    I told Sir Paul that he would find a booklet describing the
    church in the bookstand. It was written by Father Collins
    and we've always meant to revise it. It's over there on the
    table by the north porch. We only charge three pence.'
    He turned his head painfully, like an arthritic patient, as
    if inviting Dalgliesh to buy a copy. The gesture was pa thetic and rather appealing. He went on:
    'I think he must have taken one because two days later
    I found a five pound note in the box.Most people just put
    in three pence.'
    'Did he tell you who he was?'
    'He said his name was Paul Berowne. I'm afraid it didn't mean anything to me at the time. He didn't say he was an MP or a baronet, nothing like that. Of course, after he'd resigned I knew who he was. It was in the papers and on the television.'
    Again there was a pause. Dalgliesh waited. After a few seconds the voice began again, stronger now and more resolute.
    'I suppose he was away about an hour, perhaps less. Then he returned the key. He said he would like to sleep that night in the Little Vestry. Of course he didn't know it
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    was called that. He said in the small room with the bed. The bed has been there since Father (3ollins's time, in the war. He used to sleep in the church during air raids so that he could put out the fire bombs. We've never taken it away. It's useful if people feel ill during services or if I want to rest before midnight Mass. It doesn't take up much room. It's only a narrow collapsible bed. Well, you've seen it.'
    'Yes. Did he give any reason?'
    'No. He made it sound quite an ordinary request and I didn't like to ask why. He wasn't a man you could cross-question. I did ask what about sheets, a pillowcase. He said he'd bring anything he needed.'
    He had brought one double sheet and had slept between it, doubled over. Otherwise he had used the existing old army blanket folded beneath him and on top the blanket of multicoloured woollen squares. The pillowcase on what
    was obviously a chair cushion was also presumably his. Dalgliesh asked:
    'Did he take the key away with him then or call back for it that night?'
    'He called back for it. That must have been about eight o'clock or a little earlier. He was standing at the door of the Vicarage carrying a grip. ! don't think he came by car. I didn't see one. I gave him the key. I didn't see him again until next morning.'
    'Tell me about the next morning.'
    'I used the south door as usual. It was locked. The door to the Little Vestry was open and I could see that he wasn't there. The bed was made up very tidily. Everything was tidy. There was a sheet and a pillowcase folded on top. I looked through the grille into the church. The fights weren't on but I could just see him. He was sitting in this row, a little further along. I went into the vestry and