Nobody's Perfect

by Douglas Clark

  That is how Huth died. In giving you the full story and finding the murderess I have done what you asked me to do. While it may seem a good job done to you, I am far from satisfied. I personally believe that this was not intended as murder, and had it not been for Huth’s large intake of alcohol, I think he would still be alive. Parker will be able to claim this, and she will get away with it when the jury learns she was being blackmailed. The defence will undoubtedly plead extenuating circumstances because of the blackmail, and they’ll also say there was no intention to kill. They will make a good point of this because of the inefficiency of phenobarbitone as a poison, and Parker’s appearance in court will help them. I feel that if you insist on a charge of murder you will not make it stick. With manslaughter, you will get a verdict.

  I have written this in a private letter because you will realize it cannot be included in an official report. But I feel I owe you the benefit of my knowledge over what the charge preferred should be. However, as I pointed out earlier, I cannot instruct you on how to interpret evidence. My job is merely to provide you with it to use as you think best.

  George.

  Bale read the letter through twice and then called for his station sergeant.

  “Is Chief Inspector Masters still in the station?”

  “He was going out when he handed me the letter, sir. For supper. I directed him and Inspector Green to that little Italian place.”

  “The Pantellaria?”

  “That’s it, sir.”

  “I’ll join them.”

  “They said they’d be back, sir.”

  “Did they? What for?”

  “To see a chap who’s been making a nuisance of himself outside, sir. His name’s March. It seems he knows the girl you’ve arrested, and he wants to know what’s going on. Chief Inspector Masters left his two sergeants to deal with him and said he’d come back to explain after he’d had his meal.”

  Bale sat and waited. Masters’ interview with Parker had started at five and lasted over two hours, and the writing of the letter had taken another hour. It was after nine o’clock when the two of them returned.

  Bale said: “I’ve read your letter.”

  Masters didn’t reply. Bale went on: “The decision won’t be mine. It’ll be up to the C.C., or even the Director. You’ve got to remember the inquest finding.”

  “I’ve remembered all these. I just don’t think you’ll get the charge to stick.”

  “Maybe not, but before I do anything about it I want to know where your personal feelings are in this.”

  “Mine? They’re involved all right.”

  “I thought so.”

  “I don’t like sending a young girl to jail for life to pay for one mistake, made when she was at her wits’ end.”

  “So?”

  “That’s all.”

  Bale looked at him carefully for a moment. He said: “You don’t give me much choice, do you?”

  Masters said: “Or myself.”

  Green said impatiently: “What the hell is this? I don’t get it.”

  Bale turned to him. “If you don’t mind my saying so, Inspector Green, you’re not a very perspicacious officer. Masters has suggested that Parker should be charged with manslaughter, not murder.”

  “They can alter the charge in court, can’t they?”

  “It’s better if it doesn’t come to that. My worry is that Masters is the prosecution’s key witness. What he’s as good as said is that if we insist on a charge of murder he’ll do everything he can — in the box or out of it — to get the case dismissed. If we agree to manslaughter he’ll go along with us.”

  “So what?”

  “If he were to do that it would be curtains for him at the Yard. If he had to adopt that attitude it would leave him with no choice but to resign.”

  Green said: “Do you mean to tell me, Superintendent, that you don’t know the code of the force better than that? If an officer believes that a person charged with murder is not guilty of the crime, it is his duty to say so. In fact he would be in the wrong if he didn’t fight for justice. Why should our friend here resign if he believes the girl innocent, and goes to the trouble of saying so?”

  Masters grinned sheepishly. This had been his own view, but he hadn’t wanted to say so in front of Bale. He was surprised that Green should ever have thought of what he had just said. In any case it was good enough for Bale. He said: “I’ll recommend manslaughter. That means I’ll have to see the Chief Constable tonight. Can you deal with that chap March?”

  When Bale had gone, Hill and Brant brought March in.

  “At last,” said March. “What the hell d’you think you’re playing at, Masters?”

  Masters struggled to contain his anger. He said at last: “Miss Parker has been arrested for the murder of Mr Huth.”

  “What? Joan murdered Huth? Another police blunder.”

  “Sit down, Mr March.”

  Brant put a chair behind March, and Hill pushed him down onto it with pressure on the shoulder.

  Masters went on. “Not only has Miss Parker been arrested, but I blame you for it, March.”

  “Me? Now what maggot’s got into your brain?”

  “Miss Parker thought you didn’t know she was Huth’s mistress.”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Don’t lie to me, March. I’m not in the mood for it. Any man can afford to get married on the salary paid to a manager at Barugt. But you had to wait for a Controller’s salary. Why?”

  “I don’t know what you’re blathering about.”

  “Because you thought you couldn’t compete with Huth until you had a really big salary. You were so unsure of yourself you didn’t think Miss Parker would marry you until you could provide a suitable alternative to Huth’s presents. You didn’t think the girl would have you for yourself.”

  “I’ll take you apart for this, Masters.”

  “I don’t think so. You’re all bluff. And gutless with it. You despised Huth but hadn’t the guts to get out of his firm. You accepted everything he had to give. But you wouldn’t tell Miss Parker the one thing that would have made her happy and saved her from getting into this mess. Why the blazes didn’t you tell her you knew she was Huth’s mistress?”

  “I tell you I didn’t know.”

  “Didn’t you? Right. Salary apart, why did you choose her and her alone to listen to your ravings against Huth? Because you were frightened you’d lose your job if anybody else at Barugt knew? Or because you couldn’t think of a better way to make her break with him?”

  March leaned forward. “You’re raving,” he said. “I loved Joan. I asked her to marry me.”

  “I notice you used the past tense. Perhaps you didn’t mean to. We shall see. You can prove what you think about her. I hope you’ll only have three years to wait before you can marry her.”

  March stared hard. “Three years?”

  “I hope no more than that. Doesn’t the idea please you?”

  March said nothing.

  “I see. The idea of marrying a girl who will have paid a very high price to try and preserve your happiness doesn’t appeal to you now. Is that it? Or are you hoping she’ll get a life sentence to get you out of an awkward situation?”

  March said: “No. No, that’s not it at all.”

  “What is it, then? Tell me.”

  “Tell you? Why should I tell you? What’s my private business got to do with the police?”

  “A lot. Miss Parker asked for you because she’s miserable. I promised her she should see you tonight. I was hoping you would persuade her to send for a solicitor.” “I don’t know any solicitors.”

  “I do. Some very good ones.”

  March said nothing.

  Masters said: “Well, what do you say? Do you want their addresses?”

  Still March said nothing.

  Masters said quietly: “I should get out now, Mr March, while the going’s good. If I have to look at you much longer I might lose my temper.”

&
nbsp; Hill put a hand under March’s arm, yanked him to his feet and propelled him towards the door.

  Green said quietly: “That poor lass isn’t going to like this. I hope Sergeant Hill helps that bastard down the front steps with his boot.”

  Masters looked at him for a moment. He said, almost automatically, “Thanks, Greeny.” He walked the floor for a few moments. “She won’t listen to me, and I don’t think she’ll do any more for any of you. But somebody’s got to see her.” Then he picked up the phone, dialled, and spoke for a short time.

  *

  Twenty minutes later Mrs Huth limped in.

  “Where is that poor girl, Mr Masters?”

  Masters said: “It was very good of you to come.”

  “No need to thank me. I’ll go straight to her. I’ll call you if I want you.”

  Green said: “You can’t let her into the cell.”

  Mrs Huth turned to him. “I assure you I shan’t try to wreak revenge on her. She needs help. Her fiancé has deserted her. That’s bad enough. But it was my husband who brought her here. I must do all I can to put that right. I think I can do a lot. At any rate I’m going to try.”

  Masters took her arm and escorted her out of the office.

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