Political Suicide
“said Penelope Partridge, draped resentfully along the length of her Chelsea sofa.
“As far as I’m concerned I’m prying too,” said Sutcliffe. “It’s a large part of a policeman’s job.”
“I don’t accept that. To be perfectly frank” (she meant that she would like to be very rude indeed), “I don’t see what it’s got to do with you.”
“Come, come, Mrs Partridge,” said Sutcliffe, playing his tired-courtesy card, one of his strongest, “a woman in your position can’t be ignorant of the purpose of an inquest.... It’s to determine the cause of death. All relevant facts about the dead man’s position and state of mind have to be presented.”
“Nonsense. The separation took place in September. It had no relevance at all.”
“In fact, if the jury had had this information before it, it might have brought in a suicide verdict, and we would have called the case closed.”
A shade of regret wafted across Penelope Partridge’s face, the first he had seen. He leaned forward and rapped out: “As it is, you’ve put yourself in the position of having lied to the police, both directly and by implication.MoreLess
“As far as I’m concerned I’m prying too,” said Sutcliffe. “It’s a large part of a policeman’s job.”
“I don’t accept that. To be perfectly frank” (she meant that she would like to be very rude indeed), “I don’t see what it’s got to do with you.”
“Come, come, Mrs Partridge,” said Sutcliffe, playing his tired-courtesy card, one of his strongest, “a woman in your position can’t be ignorant of the purpose of an inquest.... It’s to determine the cause of death. All relevant facts about the dead man’s position and state of mind have to be presented.”
“Nonsense. The separation took place in September. It had no relevance at all.”
“In fact, if the jury had had this information before it, it might have brought in a suicide verdict, and we would have called the case closed.”
A shade of regret wafted across Penelope Partridge’s face, the first he had seen. He leaned forward and rapped out: “As it is, you’ve put yourself in the position of having lied to the police, both directly and by implication.MoreLess
Read book Political Suicide for free
Write Review:
Guest
Read Also
7 / 10
User Reviews: