Norman looked up from Bessie’s letter to see a stranger standing there. Hastily, he used the sleeve of his jumper to wipe tears from his eyes. ‘Can I help you?’ he asked. ‘Chief Inspector Gillan of Scotland Yard, Mr Thorne. I’m here to arrest you.’ ‘What for?’ ‘Involvement in the disappearance of Miss Elsie Cameron. We have a warrant to dig up your property.’ Norman looked past him to where several policemen were leaning on spades. ‘What happened to the other inspector?’ ‘Scotland Yard was called in a week ago. I’ve been running the case since your neighbour, Mrs Annie Price, gave evidence to Sussex police. She saw Miss Cameron walk through your gate at five-fifteen on the evening of December 5th.’ Norman knew Annie Price. She was one of Bessie’s despised curtain twitchers. A woman with nothing better to do in life than spy on her neighbours. ‘It wasn’t Elsie,’ he said. The Chief Inspector stepped into the shack. ‘Then who was it, Mr Thorne?’ He read Bessie’s letter over Norman’s shoulder.
