Cat Sitter Among the Pigeons

Cat Among the Pigeons

II

Meadowbank was an establishment of sufficient importance to merit the personal attention of the chief constable. While routine investigation was going on Miss Bulstrode had not been inactive. She rang up a press magnate and the Home Secretary, both personal friends of hers. As a result of these maneuvers, very little had appeared about the event in the papers. A games mistress had been found dead in the school gymnasium. She had been shot, whether by accident or not was as yet not determined. Most of the notices of the event had an almost apologetic note in them, as though it were thoroughly tactless of any games mistress to get herself shot in such circumstances.

Ann Shapland had a busy day taking down letters to parents. Miss Bulstrode did not waste time in telling her pupils to keep quiet about the event. She knew that it would be a waste of time. More or less lurid reports would be sure to be penned to anxious parents and guardians. She intended her own balanced and reasonable account of the tragedy to reach them at the same time.

Later that afternoon she sat in conclave with Mr. Stone, the chief constable, and Inspector Kelsey. The police were perfectly amenable to having the press play the thing down as much as possible. It enabled them to pursue their inquiries quietly and without interference.

“I'm very sorry about this, Miss Bulstrode, very sorry indeed,” said the chief constable. “I suppose it's - well - a bad thing for you.”

“Murder's a bad thing for any school, yes,” said Miss Bulstrode. “It's no good dwelling on that now, though. We shall weather it, no doubt, as we have weathered other storms. All I do hope is that the matter will be cleared up quickly.”

“Don't see why it shouldn't, eh?” said Stone. He looked at Kelsey.

Kelsey said, “It may help when we get her background.”

“D'you really think so?” asked Miss Bulstrode drily.

“Somebody may have had it in for her,” Kelsey suggested.

Miss Bulstrode did not reply.

“You think it's tied up with this place?” asked the chief constable.

“Inspector Kelsey does really,” said Miss Bulstrode. “He's only trying to save my feelings, I think.”

“I think it does tie up with Meadowbank,” said the inspector slowly. “After all, Miss Springer had her times off like all the other members of the staff. She could have arranged a meeting with anyone if she had wanted to do so at any spot she chose. Why choose the gymnasium here in the middle of the night?”

“You have no objection to a search being made of the school premises, Miss Bulstrode?” asked the chief constable.

“None at all. You're looking for the pistol or revolver or whatever it is, I suppose?”

“Yes. It was a small pistol of foreign make.”

“Foreign,” said Miss Bulstrode thoughtfully.

“To your knowledge, do any of your staff or any of the pupils have such a thing as a pistol in their possession?”

“Certainly not to my knowledge,” said Miss Bulstrode. “I am fairly certain that none of the pupils have. Their possessions are unpacked for them when they arrive and such a thing would have been seen and noted, and would, I may say, have aroused considerable comment. But please, Inspector Kelsey, do exactly as you like in that respect. I see your men have been searching the grounds today.”

The inspector nodded. “Yes.”

He went on: “I should also like interviews with the other members of your staff. One or other of them may have heard some remark made by Miss Springer that will give us a clue. Or may have observed some oddity of behaviour on her part.” He paused, then went on, “The same thing might apply to the pupils.”

Miss Bulstrode said: “I had formed the plan of making a short address to the girls this evening after prayers. I would ask that if any of them has any knowledge that might possibly bear upon Miss Springer's death that they should come and tell me of it.”

“Very sound idea,” said the Chief Constable.

“But you must remember this,” said Miss Bulstrode, “one or other of the girls may wish to make herself important by exaggerating some incident or even by inventing one. Girls do very odd things; but I expect you are used to dealing with that form of exhibitionism.”

“I've come across it,” said Inspector Kelsey. “Now,” he added, “please give me a list of your staff, also the servants.”