As he let go of my hand, Lady Hardcastle turned and left the encampment, heading towards the police station. I followed.
‘What did Mr O’Bannon say?’ she asked me as she knocked on the sergeant’s front door.
‘He expressed his admiration for my abilities. He also said that he considers himself an excellent judge of character and that he trusts you.’
‘So I should bally well think,’ she said. ‘I’m the most trustworthy person in the village. I’ve met the king, and everything.’
‘You have indeed, my lady.’
‘What else did he say?’
‘That Colonel Dawlish is a nervous nelly but that he’ll set him straight.’
‘In so many words?’
‘I might be paraphrasing slightly.’
‘I think you probably might.’
Sergeant Dobson answered the door.
‘Good afternoon, Lady Hardcastle, Miss Armstrong,’ he said. ‘What can I do for you two fine ladies?’
‘Just so as we’re completely clear, sir,’ said Sergeant Dobson, ‘you think your strongman, Mr Abraham Bernbaum, is responsible for these two murders?’
‘Yes, sergeant. I believe he locked Hubert Parvin in the lion cage last night and then crushed Augustus Noakes to death just after lunchtime today.’
We were in Colonel Dawlish’s tent, seated on camp chairs, as Colonel Dawlish and Lady Hardcastle explained recent events to the sergeant.
‘And you agree, m’lady?’ said Dobson.
‘Let’s say that I have no especially strong reasons to disagree at the moment, Sergeant,’ she said, guardedly.
‘That’s not quite as unequivocal as I’d have liked, m’lady, but beggars can’t be choosers. I’ll get over to the Dog and Duck and arrest Mr Bernbaum straight away.’
‘To where?’ said Lady Hardcastle quickly.
‘The inn, m’lady. He’s been over there since about eleven this morning. I was in there... ah... having a bit of a chat with Old Joe. He came in, ordered a pint of ale and sat there reading a book. Been there ever since.’
‘But, sergeant,’ she said, ‘we’ve already spoken to several people here, and Mr Noakes was alive and well and tending to his beasts at noon. Bernbaum can’t very well have killed him if he was in the pub with you.’
‘That’s very true, m’lady, I don’t suppose he could now you mentions it. So where does that leave us?’
‘Blessed if I know, sergeant,’ she said. ‘I find both murders hard enough to credit without having to imagine that they’re not the work of the same twisted mind. If Mr Bernbaum didn’t kill Noakes, I can’t really believe him guilty of killing Parvin, either.’
‘As you say, m’lady,’ said Dobson, stroking his beard thoughtfully. ‘And a man as has been sitting in a pub all day under the very eyes of the local police doesn’t seem to have a guilty conscience.’
‘All day,’ mused Colonel Dawlish. ‘Is he fit to perform?’
‘That I couldn’t say, sir. I can’t speak for his mental state but when I left half an hour ago, sir, he was still nursing the pint he bought when he got there. He’s not drunk, sir, I think he just wanted somewhere to sit. Not sure he wanted the beer at all.’
‘Then please be so kind as to send him over. We have a show to put on. Is there anything we need to do as regards the... other matter?’
‘No, sir, I’ll get that all squared away. Dr Fitzsimmons is on his way to take care of the body and I’ll make sure all the correct forms are filled in. I should report the matter to the Bristol CID but I’ll take the reprimand for that failing as long as we make some progress in the next day or so.’
‘Thank you, sergeant, I’ll not forget this,’ said Colonel Dawlish, standing up.
‘Right you are, sir,’ said the sergeant, picking up his helmet and rising from his own chair. He bade us all good afternoon and left the tent.
Colonel Dawlish returned to his seat and we sat in contemplative silence for several minutes.
Lady Hardcastle was the first to speak. ‘There’s still a murderer at large, George.’
‘Yes, I know,’ he said.
‘They’ve already killed twice and they might again.’
‘I know,’ he said, more impatiently.
‘Our main suspect is dead, and our outside bet has an alibi.’
‘I know,’ he said sharply and slammed his hand on the table.
‘And if you care that passionately about it,’ she said, sharply, ‘then stop snapping at me and bally well do something.’
‘What, Emily? What? My experiences of killers are a great deal more straightforward: they tended to be wearing the enemy’s uniform and pointing a gun at me. And I dealt with them by pointing my own gun back at them and shooting first. I have no idea how to track down a lunatic.’
‘Nor do I, George, nor do I. But I strongly suggest that action trumps moping. Eight members of the group of friends remain. Do they take an afternoon break before the show?’
‘They usually gather in the mess tent at about four o’clock for afternoon tea. I doubt they’ll all be there today, though, not after what’s happened.’
‘Then it’s up to you to make sure they are. It’s something to do with that group, George, and I’d wager the killer is either among them or known to them. We need to get them talking.’ She stood. ‘Up you get, George. We’ll take a stroll round the camp and meet you in the mess tent at four o’clock. Come on, Flo.’
We left Colonel Dawlish standing by his desk, tapping his fingers and looking as dejected as I’ve ever seen a man look.
Our tour of the circus brought us precious little new information. Both victims, as is so often the way with the recently deceased, were universally loved and admired. Circus folk, we found, are as superstitious and sentimental as sailors and we didn’t hear a word spoken against them.
Of the rest, it seemed that Veronica and Wilfred, the married couple from the sideshow, were “a bit stand-offish, you know, keep very much to themselves” but for two people who earned their living as “freaks” that was scarcely a revelation. I’m sure I’d keep very much to myself if everyone I met was there only to gawp and mock.
Strongman Abraham Bernbaum was widely liked and respected, as much for his gentle wisdom as for his warm, kind sense of humour. He was the man people went to for advice and it was always freely given and gratefully received. He had, so the story went, begun training as a rabbi in his youth, but something happened and he had turned instead to the world of entertainment. “The synagogue’s loss was our gain, I reckon,” was the consensus.