Free A Matter for the Jury by Peter Murphy Page B

froze.
    Phillips took one arm. Willis approached and took the other.
    â€˜Billy Cottage,’ Phillips said. ‘I am arresting you on suspicion of…’
    He looked at Arnold.
    â€˜Larceny by finding,’ Arnold said. ‘For now.’
    â€˜â€¦on suspicion of larceny by finding. Do you wish to say anything? You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be put in writing and given in evidence.’
    â€˜I don’t know what you are talking about,’ Billy replied.
    Phillips jotted his response in his notebook.
    * * *
    Billy sat between Arnold and Phillips in the back of the Hawk as Willis drove them back to St Ives police station. Billy made no further statement, but the officers distinctly heard him singing to himself, softly, under his breath.
    When I was bound apprentice in famous Lincolnshire,
    Full well I served my master for nigh on seven years,
    Till I took up to poaching as you shall quickly hear,
    Oh, ’tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.
    Success to every gentleman that lives in Lincolnshire,
    Success to every poacher that wants to sell a hare,
    Bad luck to every gamekeeper that will not sell his deer,
    Oh, ’tis my delight on a shiny night in the season of the year.

11
    St Ives police station had only one room that could be used for interviews, and it was far too small for the purpose. As he lowered himself carefully on to the hard wooden chair, square and solid, with its straight back and hard padded seat, and placed his file of papers on the small wooden table that separated him from Billy Cottage, Detective Superintendent Arnold reflected that this was hardly surprising. They probably didn’t have too many long interviews to conduct in St Ives during a normal year. But this was not turning out to be a normal year at St Ives police station. Instead of its normal complement of two or three officers, the place was swarming with uniformed officers from Huntingdon and Cambridge. They went out periodically to comb the river bank by the Rosemary D , and to make inquiries in town, then returned to hand in their reports to PS Livermore. The sergeant had been recalled urgently from leave, and was none too pleased about it. But he was now working with DI Phillips to coordinate and analyse the information obtained. Mercifully, Arnold’s chief constable had so far kept Scotland Yard at bay, but Arnold had to phone in reports on a regular basis to allay the concerns that went up to a very high level in any case such as this. Th e hours of work put in by so many officers were beginning to pay off. Arnold now had some solid information, and the time had come to ask Billy Cottage some questions.
    â€˜As you already know, Mr Cottage, I am Detective Superintendent Arnold, from Cambridgeshire Police. We are working with Huntingdonshire Police on this case. My colleague here, Detective Inspector Phillips, will be making notes of this interview. First, I must remind you of the caution you were given earlier. You are not obliged to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be put in writing and given in evidence. But whether or not you wish to speak to me, I will now put certain questions to you. First, can you confirm that you are William Cottage, and that you live at the lock keeper’s house at Fenstanton, near St Ives?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Mr Cottage… It’s Billy, isn’t it? Do you mind if I call you Billy? It will make it easier, won’t it?’
    â€˜If you like.’
    â€˜Good. So, Billy, you are the lock keeper at Fenstanton, are you?’
    â€˜That’s right.’
    â€˜And you live at the lock keeper’s house with your sister. Her name is Eve, is that right?’
    â€˜Yes.’
    â€˜Just the two of you?’
    â€˜My parents are both dead.’
    â€˜Your date of birth is 10th October 1935, which makes you, what? Twenty-eight. Is that