The Weekly Dormouse. (aka Bike, est. 2007) Part 3347 by Angharad Copyright© 2022 Angharad

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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
The next day I was surprised to hear that Sir Roderick had passed on the investigation to Special Branch. They are almost as secretive as MI5 but at least they're police. Saying that, my relationships with the law enforcement brigade haven't always been exactly cordial, but lately they've left me alone and I promised not to start a reign of terror.

Talking of rain, we badly need some for the gardens, Daddy was forced to water some of the vegetables or they would die and I'd have to buy them.

Inspector Duvalle, was the man Special Branch sent to interview me. Although they'd taken at least two statements from me. He was a man in his early forties, well dressed and rather dapper. I wondered if he was gay.

"Lady Cameron, could you run through it again?" He gazed at me as if he wanted to say, 'Not bad for a grammar school boy,' "Why do you think Alison did not commit suicide?"

"She didn't, she was murdered."

"Poisoning with sleeping tablets is a rather inefficient way to bump somebody off," he commented.

"Not if you want it to look like suicide," was my rejoinder.

"Have they done a post mortem yet?"

"Two actually, which I'm sure you know, seeing as you paid for it."

"I didn't trust the Home Office pathologist."

"I would, this isn't some government conspiracy, you know."

"Isn't it, can you prove it to 95% as we require our students to do."

"Hopefully, I can prove to you that Alison took her own life and it's as simple as that."

He crossed one leg over the other than suddenly jumped up, "Cramp," he squeaked and walked up and down my office.

I grabbed him and my handbag and walked us over to the refectory. "You need to eat a banana."

"Don't be silly," he tried to insist but I told him it was that or an avocado as they are rich in potassium which helps to alleviate cramp. When faced with eating avocado he resigned himself to eating a banana. First point to me, although of course he was investigating the theft of the research papers and a sudden death. He told me that Alison had taken barbiturates in sufficient quantity to kill her, that there appeared to be no sign of violence and given she had let people down, it was just a simple suicide. They happen every day.

"If that was the case why are you here?"

"Because highly secretive work for a government department was taken, many foreign countries would like it."

"So I am told. Inspector, if I said that I knew Alison very well and she is neither the type to sell out to a foreign power nor is she any more likely to kill herself. She simply isn't the type. Her daughter will confirm that."

"As a scientist I presume you deal in facts?"

"Yes, of course I do."

"Despite what you feel?"

"Naturally, where are you going with this, socratic questioning won't work because you're wrong."

"Am I, where is your proof to 95%? I'd love to see it."

"It might take some time to collect it," I replied.

"Carry on, but don't get in my way." So saying he finished his banana and coffee and left. I drank up my tea and wondered where did I go from here?

Of course back to my office and another cuppa, when in doubt drink tea, it doesn't actually help but the extra five minutes in the loo passing it does give you time to think. I rang Toby and he was out, so I actually did some work, which should surprise Daddy as he seems to think I just sit here day dreaming, well, I do but don't tell him.

I was just ending one such day dream when Toby rang. "You tried to reach me?"

"No I tried to phone you."

"That's what I said."

"No it wasn't, you asked if I tried to reach you. Well, I have news for you, my arms aren't that long."

"I've just had the pleasure of meeting Inspector Duvalle from Special Branch."

"Oh yeah, so are you now gonna come quietly?"

"Good lord no, is he gay?"

"I dunno, you're supposed to be better at picking up these things."

"Why?"

"'Cause you're a woman, men are useless at that sort of thing."

"Men are useless full stop."

"Hey, we're not all useless."

"That's true, Simon does have his uses if I'm the mood."

"I don't think I want to know that."

"Suit yourself."

"Why did you call me, I'm sure it wasn't because Simon is unavailable and you're in the mood?"

"I'm not actually."

"Don't tell me you got lonely?"

"Okay I won't."

"Won't tell you."

"Stop being literalist."

"Simon says that sometimes."

"Ah, so I'm right then."

"Don't push your luck. If I told you you were right you'd keep on about from now until doomsday."

"Why did you call?"

"I have the post mortem results in front of me, the second one that is."

"Yeah, so what does it say that the other doesn't?"

"I don't know, they wouldn't let me see the other one."

"I see, so you want to see mine?"

"Gosh, I can see why you're an inspector."

"Sarcasm does not befit you."

"You have wounded me."

"Tough, now what's for lunch?"

"So the way to a man's heart is via his stomach?"

"In my case it's closer to my bowel."

"That's a funny place to have a heart."

"I wasn't talking about my heart." I heard sense of frustration building so I cut the sweet nothings.

"Do you know...?" Half an hour later I was parking in the car park of the restaurant that Daddy frequents, except I knew he wouldn't be here today as he had a meeting. I scanned it for Toby's Saab but he wasn't here yet. I looked around and spotted that I had a tail, no, not literally, but I was being watched a moment later my mobile peeped. Toby had sent me a message. 'I'm inside, you're being followed.'

I sent one back. 'Order me my usual, I'll in in ten minutes.' Having sent it I drove out of the car park and my tail followed. I drove about for several minutes before doubling back on myself and parked in a side street. I then took off my jacket and pulled on a scarf and surreptitiously strolled to the restaurant leaving my tail floundering I hoped.

"This is what you want," he handed me a photocopy of the pathologist's report, "you can keep it, just don't let anyone know how you came by it."

"I done one for you of the second post mortem, please note minute traces of rohypnol."

"How come we didn't find it?"

"The bill I paid would be expensive for an operation on a living body, for a dead one it's outrageous, but if you want the best.

"You pay for it. Rohypnol could explain why she poisoned herself but we still have to prove it and also a motive."

"How about the government stole their own documents and pretended some foreign power had taken them. Then eliminate the weak point in the chain and get someone else to finish the job after the heat dies down."

"Are you trying to tell me the security services killed Alison?"

"I'm not sure yet but it is one scenario that needs investigating."

"Oh, so I stroll into MI5 and casually ask if they killed anyone recently."

"If they were responsible, I suspect a third party was involved."

"Wouldn't that mean the papers could have been copied after the robbery?"

"That's how we catch them."

"I don't see that."

"Because you're not a woman."

"What does my sex have to do with it."

"You have to be sneaky at times."

"Well, you're that okay..."

I closed him down with a look, but he was right, I can be sneaky, now I just have to be sure I don't wake up dead.