them villains – far from it. The trouble was that no one would tell me which class Ashton came into, and that made this job damned difficult. Difficult to know how to push at him; difficult to identify the cranny into which to push the wedge that would crack him.
But I tried. I said practically. ‘Then the reason must lie somewhere in Gillian’s own life. Some crowd she’s been mixed up with, perhaps.’
He became instantly angry. ‘Nonsense!’ he said sharply. ‘That’s a monstrous suggestion. How could she get mixed up with types like that without me knowing? The type who could do such a dreadful thing?’
I was acting the part of the impartial onlooker. ‘Oh, I don’t know,’ I said judiciously. ‘It happens all the time judging by what we read in the newspapers. The police arrest a kid and uncover a whole series of offences, from mainlining on heroin to theft to get the cash to feed the habit. The parents are shocked and plead ignorance; they had no idea that little Johnny or little Mary was involved. I believe them, too.’
He took a deep breath. ‘For one thing, Gillian isn’t a kid; she’s a grown woman of twenty-six. And for another, I know my family very well. You paid me a compliment last night: you said I’d brought up Penny too well. That goes for Gillian, too.’ He drove his toe viciously into the turf. ‘Would you think that of Penny?’
‘No, I don’t think I would.’
‘Then why should you think it of Gillian? It’s bloody ridiculous.’
‘Because Penny didn’t have acid thrown in her face,’ I reminded him. ‘Gillian did.’
‘This is a nightmare,’ he muttered.
‘I’m sorry; I didn’t mean to hurt you. I hope you’ll accept my apology.’
He put his hands to his face, rubbing at closed eyelids. ‘Oh, that’s all right, Malcolm.’ His hand dropped to his side. ‘It’s just that she was always such a good little girl. Not like Penny; Penny could be difficult at times. She still can. She can be very wilful, as you’ll find out if you marry her. But Gillian …’ He shook his head. ‘Gillian was never any trouble at all.’
What Ashton said brought home to me some of the anguish parents must feel when things go wrong with the kids. But I was not so concerned with his agony that I didn’t note his reference to if I married Penny, not when I married her. Evidently the fixation of the previous night had left him.
He disillusioned me immediately. ‘Have you given any thought to what we discussed last night?’
‘Some.’
‘With what conclusion?’
‘I’m still pretty much of the same mind,’ I said. ‘I don’t think this is the time to present Penny with new problems, especially if the girls are as close as you say. She’s very unhappy, too, you know.’
‘I suppose you’re right,’ he said dispiritedly, and kicked at the grass again. He was doing that shoe no good at all, and it was a pity to treat Lobb’s craftsmanship so cavalierly. ‘Are you staying to dinner?’
‘With your permission,’ I said formally. ‘I’m taking Penny to the hospital afterwards.’
He nodded. ‘Don’t tell her about Gillian’s eyes. Promise me that.’
‘I already have.’
He didn’t answer that, but turned on his heel and walked away towards the house. As I watched him go I felt desperately sorry for him. It didn’t matter to me then if Nellie had him listed as a hero or a villain; I still felt sorry for him as a simple human being in the deepest of distress.
Penny and I got to the hospital at about half past eight. I didn’t go in with her but waited in the car. She was away quite a long time, more than an hour, and I became restive because I had promised to call Honnister. When she came out she said quietly, ‘I’ve got what you wanted.’
I said, ‘Will you tell it to Honnister? I have an appointment with him.’
‘All right.’
We found Honnister standing at the bar of the Coach and Horses looking broodily into a glass of beer. When we joined him he said, ‘My man’s been and gone. I’ve been hanging on waiting for your call.’
‘Inspecter Honnister – this is Penny Ashton. She has something to tell you.’
He regarded her with gravity. ‘Thank you. Miss Ashton. I don’t think you need me to tell you that we’re doing the best we can on this case, but it’s rather difficult, and we appreciate all the help we can get.’
‘I understand,’ she said.
He turned to me. ‘What’ll you have?’
‘A scotch and …’ I glanced at Penny.
‘A gin and tonic.’
Honnister called to the man behind the bar. ‘Monte, a large scotch and a gin and tonic.’ He turned and surveyed the room. ‘We’d better grab that table before the last-minute crowd comes in.’
I took Penny over to the table and presently Honnister joined us with the drinks. He wasted no time and even before he was seated, he said, ‘Well, Miss Ashton, what can you tell me?’
‘Gillian says it was a man.’
‘Aah!’ said Honnister in satisfaction. He had just eliminated a little more than half the population of Britain. ‘What sort of man? Young? Old? Anything you tell me will be of value.’
He led her through the story several times and each time elicited a further nugget of information. What it boiled down to was this: Gillian had walked back from church and, coming up the drive towards the house, had seen a car parked with the bonnet open and a man peering at the engine. She thought he was someone who had broken down so she approached with the intention of offering assistance. As she drew near the man turned and smiled at her. He was no one she knew. She was about to speak when he slammed down the bonnet with one hand and simultaneously threw the acid into her face with the other. The man didn’t speak at any time; he was about forty, with a sallow complexion and sunken eyes. She did not know the make of car but it was darkish in colour.
‘Let’s go back a bit,’ said Honnister yet again. ‘Your sister saw the man looking at the engine with the bonnet open. Did she mention his hands?’
‘No, I don’t think so. Is it important?’
‘It might be,’ said Honnister noncommittally. He was a good jack; he didn’t put his own ideas into the mouths of his witnesses.
Penny frowned, staring at the bubbles rising in her glass, and her lips moved slightly as she rehearsed her thoughts. Suddenly she said, ‘That’s it, Inspector. Gillian said she walked up and the man turned and smiled at her, then he took his hands out of his jacket pockets.’
‘Good!’ said Honnister heartily. ‘Very good, indeed!’
‘I don’t see the importance,’ said Penny.
Honnister turned to me. ‘Some cars have a rod on a hinge to hold
