by J.G. Ellis
*
The following morning, I was summoned to hear Superintendent Wilson outline the official position regarding the death of Sharon Hall. In short, the two deaths were unconnected. Or, in officialese: No connection has been established between the two deaths, though we’re not ruling anything out at this early stage of the investigation. Preliminary findings indicate that Sharon Hall sadly took her own life. None of which we’d say unless we had to. I said, “What do I tell them if they ask what took me to Princes Street in the first place?”
Superintendent Wilson looked amused. Perhaps it was the naivety of the question. “What you don’t tell them, Barbara, is that you had supper with our local MP’s daughter, who suggested that Adrian Mansfield talked Ms Hall into committing suicide.”
I grinned. “So not the truth, then, sir? Shall I tell them I visited Princes Street on an unrelated matter, sir – I mean, we are there quite a lot, sir – and found Sharon as a result of her friends’ concern about her? What do you think, sir?” I had adopted a girlish, ingenuous tone.
“Yes; thank you, Barbara.” He was trying not to laugh. “Our dealings with the press are not a trivial matter – as you well know.”
“No, indeed, sir,” I said, smothering a smile.