Upon a Dark Night by Peter Lovesey

Author:Peter Lovesey [Lovesey, Peter]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Mystery
ISBN: 9780754012009
Barnesnoble:
Goodreads: 632468
Publisher: Soho Crime
Published: 1996-12-31T18:30:00+00:00

Twenty

Peter Diamond’s moods may have been uncertain to his colleagues, but his wife Stephanie reckoned he was transparent ninety-nine per cent of the time. This morning was the one per cent exception. His behaviour was totally out of character. After bringing her the tea that was her daily treat, he rolled back into bed and opened the Guardian instead of going for his shower and shave and starting the routine of grooming, dressing, eating and listening to the radio that he’d observed for years. When he finally put down the paper, he went for a bath. A bath. He simply didn’t take baths in the morning. There was never time. He preferred evenings after work, when he would linger for hours with a book, topping up the hot water from time to time by deft action with his big toe against the tap.

She tapped on the bathroom door. ‘Are you all right in there?’

‘Why? Are you waiting to come in?’ he called.

‘No, I’m only asking.’ She was more discreet than to mention his blood pressure. ‘As long as you know how the time is going.’

‘Sixty minutes an hour when I last heard.’

‘Sorry I spoke, my lord.’

She’d finished her breakfast and was on the point of going out when he came downstairs.

The sight of him still in his dressing-gown and slippers evoked a grim memory and her face creased in concern. ‘Peter, should you be telling me something? You haven’t resigned again?’

He smiled and reached for her hand. The two-year exile from the police had been a rough passage for them both. ‘No, love.’

‘And they haven’t…?’

‘Given me the old heave-ho? No. It’s just that I don’t have to go in first thing. I’m supposed to be down at the RUH.’

‘Oh?’ White-faced, she said, ‘Another appointment?’

‘A post-mortem.’

A moment of incomprehension, then, as the light dawned, ‘Oh.’

‘You know, Steph, it never occurred to me when we bought this place that it was just up the road from the hospital. When we lived on Wellsway I could say I’d been sitting in a line of traffic for ages and be believed. That little wrinkle isn’t much use now I live in Weston and can walk down to the mortuary in five minutes. If I want a reason for not showing up on time I’ve got to think of something smarter.’

‘And have you?’

‘I’m giving it my full attention.’

‘Do you really need to be there?’

‘Need? No. But it’s expected. This one is what we term a suspicious death. The pathologist points out anything worthy of note, and discusses it with CID. I’m supposed to take an active interest, or one of us on the case is.’

‘Isn’t there someone else, then? I mean, if you’re practically allergic, as we know you are…’

‘Not this time. I had a bit of a run-in with Julie last night.’

‘Oh, Pete!’

‘Can’t really ask her a favour. No, I’ll tough it out, but I don’t have to watch the whole performance, so long as I appear at some point with a good story.’ He rolled his eyes upwards, trying to conjure something up.

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