Drewitt left them still squabbling and went up to Harkness's office .sx He knocked .sx " Come !sx " Harkness was back .sx He sat behind the desk , dark lines under his eyes , a mug of coffee in his hand .sx He looked tired .sx Detective-Sergeant Stevens was standing at the side of the desk .sx Harkness looked up at Drewitt .sx " I'll get to you , " he said , and turned back to Stevens .sx " I want the incident wagon back in Calderon .sx Six DCs and maybe a couple of uniforms .sx And yourself .sx We go through everything again , from the start .sx " Stevens said :sx " We did a pretty thorough job last week .sx All the statements are there and .sx .. " Harkness cut in incisively :sx " And you found nothing .sx All right , I'm not getting at you or Chief Inspector Blakelock , but I'm in charge now and we have to crack this one .sx " " Excuse me , sir , but we have one lead .sx The gypsies were only a few miles south .sx .. " Harkness's glare silenced him .sx " Gypsies .sx Travelling people .sx Whenever you've no lead , blame the travelling people .sx The nearest of them were in camp ten miles away .sx " " I suppose they could have come over to Calderon .sx .. " " Why ?sx Motive ?sx Let's go to Calderon and stick a pitchfork in somebody ?sx And put wee corn dolls around the body , for fun ?sx I know travelling people .sx They don't go looking for more trouble than they've got .sx There's nothing to connect them .sx Also , everybody in both the Calderons has gone dead stum !sx Why ?sx Because they know one of their people did it , that's why .sx So we start looking for that character .sx And for his tie-up with .sx .. witchcraft .sx " " All right , sir , you're probably right about the gypsies .sx But don't you think this witchcraft business is a lot of nonsense ?sx " said Stevens .sx " Maybe to confuse us .sx I mean , nobody believes in witchcraft today .sx " Harkness kept glaring at him .sx " You don't believe in witchcraft Stevens .sx I don't believe in witchcraft .sx But it doesn't matter a tuppenny toss , Sergeant , whether or not we believe .sx What matters if the character who stuck that pitchfork into Gideon's throat , he believes !sx Now , get everything organised .sx We're going into Calderon again this afternoon .sx " Eyes averted , Stevens went out .sx Harkness turned to Drewitt .sx " My report's on your desk , sir .sx " " I've read it .sx Good .sx Worthwhile .sx Background stuff .sx Interesting about Professor Carew's death .sx Have to check that one .sx Also confirms they believe in the old witchcraft business .sx Important .sx As I said to Stevens .sx .. they believe , that's what counts .sx And this Agram woman .sx .. " " You want I should go and see her , sir ?sx " " No , think I'll do that myself .sx " Drewitt had not mentioned the anonymous phone call he'd received the previous night .sx He did so now .sx Harkness frowned .sx " Does it worry you , lad ?sx " " No , not really .sx " He couldn't conceal the hesitancy in his voice .sx " Well , it worries me .sx They know you in that place .sx In Calderon .sx And they know where you and your mother live .sx I don't like that .sx I think it's time you went back on the beat .sx " " But sir .sx I do know Calderon .sx " " And I'm getting to know it .sx After two nights .sx " He stared straight ahead and , it seemed to Drewitt , he shivered .sx Then he seemed to pull himself together with some kind of effort .sx " Aye , you've been useful but you're off the case now .sx Oh , don't worry , I'll put in a good report for you .sx But I don't want the liability of worrying about one of my own men being got at .sx Thanks , lad .sx " Drewitt hesitated .sx " I would like to go on .sx " " I wouldn't like you to .sx So that's it !sx Better get your uniform on and report to the duty sergeant .sx " Bye .sx " It was as quick as that .sx One minute he was on the case , the next he wasn't .sx That was Constable Drewitt's experience of the Calderon murder case .sx Chapter Twelve .sx They'd finished half a bottle of Scotch , sitting facing each other in Braden's room .sx Drewitt had of course done most of the talking , his voice growing hoarse and small droplets of perspiration gathering on his brow .sx He'd told his story , Braden reckoned , as truthfully as he could .sx All the events .sx Excluding , in the main , his own feelings and emotions .sx These Braden could only guess at .sx Though draining the last dregs of whisky from his tumbler , he believed those guesses would be valid .sx There was something feminine in Drewitt's manner , a precision , a neatness of gesture , an uncertainty , not usual in a police inspector .sx Also , he moved with a lightness surprising in so tall a man .sx He'd lived with his mother until he'd reached the rank of sergeant and then determinedly had moved into his own apartment .sx And come out of the closet ?sx As far as a police officer could come out of the closet .sx Which wouldn't be very far .sx And everything , of necessity , with the utmost discretion .sx None of this had been said , of course , but it was there to be seen by the perceptive .sx And Braden had always considered himself perceptive .sx Not that all this mattered .sx It had no obvious link with the twelve-year-old murder .sx " Could I have a glass of water ?sx " Drewitt said .sx He'd finished his whisky .sx " Too much alcohol seems to lead to a kind of dehydration .sx " Braden brought him a glass of water which he drained .sx When he had finished , he looked wearily across at the journalist .sx " I've told you everything I know .sx I hope you'll not bother my mother again ?sx " " I'm sure I won't .sx And you've been a great help , " Braden replied .sx " I don't see how .sx I was taken off the case .sx And .sx .. and a few weeks later Harkness had his breakdown , and he was off the case .sx Oh , Blakelock tried to carry on , but there were no real leads .sx The case died .sx " Braden forced a grin .sx " I suppose I wouldn't be writing this article if it hadn't .sx " Drewitt didn't return the grin .sx His face assumed , if anything , a mournful look .sx " It's all so long ago .sx I sometimes think , what does it matter ?sx And then I remember something else Harkness said , that last day .sx " " What was that ?sx " Drewitt rubbed his left hand over his eyes , trying to remember .sx " He .sx .. he asked me what I thought the law was .sx I told him , the rules for running society .sx He said , maybe , but it's something else too .sx A mouth , a great maw , always wide open to consume the breakers of the law .sx And our job was to feed that mouth .sx It was always hungry for felons , law - breakers .sx .. sometimes even innocents who accidentally got in the way .sx And he said , that was just their hard luck .sx That's why , once a man has been convicted , it's so difficult to get him out of prison , even when you find it's certain he's innocent .sx It's just his bad luck , and if he does manage to prove he's innocent and gets out , we pay him money to stop him howling .sx " " Cynical way of looking at it , " Braden said .sx " That was Harkness .sx Better , he said , that ten innocent men go to jail that one villain goes free .sx " " He should have been the Chief Constable of Manchester !sx Or some other big city .sx They get away with saying things like that .sx " " Anyway , what does it matter ?sx He's gone now .sx " " Harkness is dead then ?sx " " He was very ill just after .sx I'm supposing he's dead .sx Something happened to him in Calderon .sx .. " " What happened to him ?sx " " Oh , his strength was just .sx .. just sapped .sx Drained away .sx You know , they found him sitting at his desk , weeping .sx Complete nervous breakdown .sx Of course the other business before Calderon .sx .. the Swanson business .sx .. that couldn't have helped .sx " Drewitt stood up and looked at his watch .sx " Better go .sx Just as well I'm off duty , I'm pissed as a newt .sx Got enough for your story now then ?sx " " Some of it .sx Need more .sx " Deliberately casual .sx Drewitt , swaying slightly at the door , said :sx " Not many more placed to go .sx Could look up that old stuff I found at the university .sx Leaver is still Professor there .sx " " I'll bear that in mind .sx Of course , there is somebody else I could talk to .sx .. " " Who would that be ?sx " " Jennet Agram .sx " He'd found the address in the phone book .sx After Drewitt had departed , he ordered a pot of black coffee .sx He drank two cups and , settling on the bed , slept for two hours .sx It was late afternoon when he drove to the address in the book .sx Darkness was falling but the street was still alive with children .sx Running , shouting , playing out their games , they ignored the few passing cars , recklessly risking life , limb and the nerves of the drivers .sx It was a council estate , good of its kind , with green spaces between the houses .sx Each contained four separate flats of four or five small rooms .sx The estate had the usual drawbacks :sx an amount of sprayed graffiti on bare wall - youths' gang symbols , exhortations to impossible sexual activities , and personal messages and name calling ; an amount of refuse on the streets , though not in excess ; and some unkempt small lawns between others that were minor miracles of the art of the amateur gardener .sx Not too far away , on the horizon , stood a gasometer .sx The door was at the side of a house halfway along the street .sx Which meant she occupied the upper floor .sx There was a neat plastic sign under the doorbell :sx 'Agram' .sx No initial , no indication of whether or not there was a Mr whatever .sx He rang the bell .sx There was a heavy thumping sound , footsteps on wooden stairs .sx The door opened and a small female child stared up at Braden .sx Perhaps not so much stared as glared .sx Ten or eleven years of age , with very blonde hair , she was neatly dressed in a skirt and woollen pullover .sx Braden said :sx " Hello .sx " The child did not respond to him but , steadily gazing on him , called " It's a man , Mum !sx " " Coming !sx " A woman's voice from above .sx Then more footsteps on the stairs , and Jennet Agram faced him .sx " Yes ?sx " she said , not unpleasantly .sx He explained he was from the Comet .sx She was in shadow , but he could make out she was a tall , well-built woman .sx " The Comet ?sx " she said .sx " Oh , I never read it .sx I don't take out subscriptions to papers , nor do I have anything to advertise in them .sx However , if I have been chosen as the winner in some competition with a large financial reward , I'll be glad to accept the winnings gracefully .sx " She had a sense of humour , he decided and was pleased .sx So far no one he'd interviewed had a sense of humour .sx " I'm afraid you haven't won any competition , " he said .sx " Actually , I wonder if I could talk to you ?sx " " You are talking to me .sx " She spoke in quiet , almost cultured tone , with only a bare suggestion of an accent , and that suggestion more of Somerset than Warwickshire .sx " My name is Braden .sx Eric Braden .sx I'm writing an article on the Calderon murder , " he said .sx " I believe you knew the victim , and was hoping you might talk about it to me .sx " She showed no sign of surprise .sx " That was twelve years ago .sx Hardly news today .sx " " It's for a series on unsolved murders .sx " " I don't think I want to be involved in sensational journalism , " she said .sx " I hope it won't be particularly sensational , " Braden persisted .sx " Although it could become that if I discovered the identity of the murderer .sx " " Indeed it could , " she said .sx " You would undoubtedly be hailed as the new Sherlock Holmes .sx Well , I suppose you're only doing your job .sx You'd better come up .sx " She turned to the child .sx " Go and see if Isabel's in , and ask her mother if you can stay there and play for a while .sx " Pleased , the child nodded and ran around to the front of the building .sx " Pretty girl , " said Braden .sx " Yours ?sx " " One and only , " she said , and indicated that he should follow her up the stairs .sx Halfway up , she stopped .sx " I suppose I should ask you for identification .sx What do they tell you on television ?sx Never let a strange man into your house ?sx " At the top of the stairs , a solitary electric bulb hung from the ceiling .sx Braden presented his Press pass to her .sx