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turned to David. ‘You didn’t see anything suspicious?’ she asked. When you were wandering around unaccompanied, supposedly looking for the man we’ve just found unconscious?
    ‘What’s going on?’ It was Victoria’s voice behind them. She was now dressed in a smart black trouser suit, ready to host the afternoon’s event. Emily was relieved to see that she was not wearing the shawl.
    ‘Don’t worry, Victoria,’ said Emily. ‘He’s not dead.’
    Victoria said, ‘Everyone’s downstairs ready to watch the show – everyone except you, Dr. Muriel – and I can’t find that wretched dog. Fortunately Graham and I can improvise. I think I have an “invisible dog” lead in the cupboard in the office. Who’s not dead?’
    ‘I’m not,’ called Dizzy.
    Victoria headed for the office, and they all went along with her – perhaps everyone was as curious as Emily to see what an ‘invisible dog lead’ might be. When they got there, they saw Seema and a police officer. Seema looked as though she had been crying.
    ‘I told him you’ve got a show to put on,’ Seema said to Victoria. ‘I asked if he could wait to question you till afterwards, and he said yes.’
    ‘Question me? What on earth about? Is someone dead?’
    ‘No!’ called Dizzy from the back of the group.
    ‘Yes,’ said the police officer. He was quite young, and he looked like a fitness instructor, which was a job he did in his spare time. ‘Mr. Barrymore, your landlord. They found him at his place.’
    ‘How long ago did he die?’ asked Emily.
    ‘I’m afraid I can’t divulge. They’re going through all that now. It looks as though he’s been dead for some hours.’
    ‘Was he watching a video?’ asked Victoria.
    ‘I can’t say, madam.’
    ‘Just tell me this.’ Victoria’s voice was slightly unsteady. She put her hands one on top of the other and placed them just under her clavicle as she drew a deep breath. She said, ‘Was he smiling when he died? Would you say he had a rictus grin on his face?’
    ‘I wouldn’t say something like that, madam. That’s not the sort of terminology we use in the reports.’
    ‘Was anyone with him?’ asked Emily.
    ‘Only a dog. A bulldog. I’m afraid the animal is also deceased.’
    ‘Who would kill a dog?’ asked Emily. Now she was upset.
    The policeman looked sympathetic. He turned towards Emily and put his hand out as though he was considering touching her arm to comfort her. But he didn’t approach her. ‘The dog wasn’t killed, miss. It looked like natural causes.’
    ‘Of course it did,’ said Victoria. ‘Of course it did.’ She shook her head back and forth several times.
    Seema said, ‘The show’s about to start. What do you want to do, Victoria? You want to call it off?’
    ‘I’ll go down,’ said Victoria, ‘and we’ll carry on as if nothing had happened. If the children only learn from me that we have to carry on no matter what happens in our personal lives , they’ll have learned the most important lesson about this profession… Officer, it’s very kind of you to be so understanding. I’ll talk to you when the show’s over. Say about half past five? Dizzy? If you’re well enough, I’ll need you to operate the sound and lights, please.’
    Victoria left the office, followed by Dizzy.
    The policeman said, ‘Does that lady think this is a murder enquiry?’
    Seema said, ‘I didn’t do anything. I’m not responsible for what happened.’ She looked as though she might cry again. She also left the office.
    David said, ‘I’d better go and find Dolly.’ He took his mobile phone out of his pocket and looked at it, then put it back again. ‘I’ll keep this on silent.’
    Emily, Dr. Muriel and the policeman were left in the office. The policeman said, ‘Didn’t I see you two at that bonfire party in the big house down the end of Trinity Road?’
    ‘Wasn’t that fun!’ said Dr. Muriel, standing and making shovelling motions with her hands so he would see