And you weren’t there.’ Superintendent Thomas Bulstrode Tucker made it into an accusation. ‘No, sir. Do you think the killer chose his moment? Waited until I was safely off the premises?’ ‘This is no time for frivolity, Peach. Murder is a very serious business.’ This was also no time for Percy to meditate on his senior’s penchant for the blindin’ bleedin’ obvious. ‘I understand you attended the scene of crime yourself, sir. Used surprise tactics.’ ‘Surprise tactics?’ Tucker assumed the baffled-goldfish expression which always gave Percy a dubious pleasure. ‘Working at the crime face, sir. You usually prefer to cogitate in your office here and provide us with your overview of the situation.’ Or sit on your idle arse in this ivory tower and produce fuck-all, if you take the alternative and majority view. ‘If I cannot attend the scenes of crimes as often as I once did, that is one of the crosses I have to bear, Peach. Much as I should prefer to adopt the hands-on approach, none of us can be in two places at once.’ ‘No, sir.
