Murder in Court Three Read Online Free Page B

protruded, its feathers plainly visible. Flick stood back to let them all see then stuck up another three photographs giving views of the court and the corridor outside.
    â€˜This is going to be a big job,’ she said, ‘and Graeme Traynor must never appear on the whiteboard, though we have to investigate him thoroughly.’
    â€˜We are always thorough, Inspector, ma’am.’ Detective Sergeant Bagawath Chandavarkar, known to everyone except Flick as ‘Baggo’, burst in. He was wearing the sort of multi-coloured trousers favoured by golfers and some comedians. His broad grin showed off his white teeth against his lower face, which was dark brown and unprotected by his golf cap. His sallow forehead made him look slightly ridiculous. ‘I regret missing the start of your briefing, but I have just gone round Carnoustie in ninety-four. I got your message when I had finished and rushed here post-haste. It is conveniently near my route back to Edinburgh.’
    While the others chuckled, Flick smiled. ‘Well pick up a folder and see what we’ve got,’ she said then gave him the very short version of why they were involved. As the chairs were taken, he sat on the edge of a desk, grimacing as he studied the pictures of a man he had come to know and respect, if not like.
    Flick continued with the briefing, summarising what MacGregor had told her. ‘I think the most likely scenario is that Knox took advantage of the archery contest to go off to Court Three to have sex. That would be some time between ten and ten-twenty. He did have sex, if the rumours are right, with Lynda Traynor. Then someone who had picked up one of the arrows from the judges’ retiring room where they had been stowed after the shooting, stabbed him. The archery finished about twenty past ten, and all the bows and arrows were placed in the retiring room, which is in the judges’ corridor, immediately afterwards, so the murder took place between twenty past ten and eleven. We have to account for the movements of any suspect during that frame. As I said, it’s not going to be easy, particularly if we must be discreet about the Traynor angle.’
    â€˜Would it not have been possible for someone to take an arrow while the archery was still going on?’ di Falco asked.
    â€˜Not according to a Captain Carstairs, who refereed the shooting and was responsible for the safekeeping of the equipment. Edinburgh were quick to get a statement from him,’ Flick replied.
    â€˜I take it that, whoever she may be, the lady who had sex with Mr Knox is a suspect,’ Baggo said. Glancing at Flick with a twinkle in his eye, he added, ‘The great writer, Kipling, had a point when he wrote, “the female of the species is more deadly than the male,” Inspector, ma’am.’
    She wasn’t going to rise to this. Looking blankly at him, she said, ‘Absolutely.’
    â€˜I see the Traynors were on the top table,’ Wallace said.
    Flick said, ‘Yes. There are no statements from any of the top table people, and we have no information about the Smails or Maltravers. Although privately we see the Traynors as real suspects, we have to show significant interest in the accused in the fraud, and their trial. Lance, I would like you to be in court tomorrow morning to see what happens and then interview Mr and Mrs Smail and Maltravers. They’ll probably bring in their lawyers, but as it’s a separate inquiry and they’re not suspects yet, there’s no reason for them not to help us.’
    â€˜And if they refuse?’ Wallace asked.
    She shrugged. ‘Best not push it till we have to, I think. We don’t want to risk compromising the trial.’
    She continued, ‘After them, you should move on to some of the others, beginning with the people on the same tables as Smail and Maltravers. There are a lot to get round and we have to be seen to be concentrating on that angle so