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.This was why those who could afford it moved to the suburbs, he thought.The road was empty, no people, no chatter or laughter, no arguments.Those would all take place inside, in private and away from the neighbours.He walked up a short, neat driveway to a house that stood on its own, the brick fresh enough to still look a blushing red, the dark paint around the windows sharp and bright.The maid who answered the door was no more than fifteen, a harried girl wearing a black dress and apron made for someone larger.The cap sat skew-whiff on her head, mousy hair tumbling down.She left him in the parlour, and a minute or two later her mistress bustled in, eyes wide and worried to have a policeman in the house.She’d probably been a pale, pretty woman when Bell married her.Now, even covered with expensive creams, her features looked coarse and hard.She was wearing a rich dress, heavily corseted at the waist to preserve some semblance of a figure.‘Mrs Bell,’ he said.‘What is it?’ she asked quietly.‘Something’s happened to him, hasn’t it?’‘I’m sorry,’ Harper said gently, hoping she’d understand, that he wouldn’t need to say the rest.‘I see.’ There was sadness in her eyes and her voice, but little more, as if she’d been expecting this news for a long time.No tears or screaming, just a sense of tired acceptance.She sat down, gazing up at him.‘Where did it happen?’ she asked quietly.‘How did he die?’‘We found him in his office,’ Harper explained.‘It looked as if he’d been there more than a day.Hadn’t you expected him to come home?’Mrs Bell shook her head.‘Henry often stayed in town during the week.Sometimes from Monday to Friday if he was busy.I was used to it.How did he die?’ she repeated.‘Someone killed him.’ He didn’t want to give more detail than that.‘I see,’ she answered after a while.Her calmness worried him.It came too easily.She stayed silent for a long time.‘I’m sorry, Inspector, you must wonder what to make of me.’ He didn’t answer; he had no idea what to say.‘I know exactly what my husband did for a living.I know how dangerous it is.Was,’ she corrected herself and raised her eyes to him.‘So did he.That’s why he made sure we were well provided for.Do you know who did it?’‘We’re looking for two men.’ He described them, but there was no recognition in her eyes.‘Had he seemed scared or worried at all?’‘Not that he said.But there were plenty of things he didn’t tell me, and I never asked.’ There was little regret in her tone.The woman had a hard streak of realism at her core, he thought, not the loving wife of hearth and home.‘Does he have an office in the house?’‘No.Henry was very firm about keeping his work separate from home.’ She’d slipped fully into the past tense, he noted.‘Might I take a look?’‘Of course,’ she agreed with a gracious nod.The frightened-looking maid accompanied him.But she hadn’t lied; there was nothing.A library, but the desk there was almost empty.Finally, back in the parlour, Harper asked, ‘You said he kept a room in town.Where was it?’‘He stayed with Mr Desmond, his lawyer.In Park Square.They were good friends.’And that would be where he kept his books.They’d be safe with a lawyer.Knowing Desmond’s reputation, though, he’d probably never show them to the police.Harper stood and offered her another condolence; there was nothing more to be learned here.He caught the omnibus at the stop by the ancient oak across from the Skyrack public house, gazing out of the window as the vehicle trundled along and thinking as the houses thickened around him and leafy trees vanished into brick and soot.Close to St John’s Church he alighted and strode down to the Town Hall.It was time to add to the super’s worries and tell him about Henry Bell.ELEVENKendall listened carefully, exhausted eyes trying to focus.How long had the man been awake, Harper wondered? Too long, that was certain; his attention kept wandering away so that the inspector had to keep repeating himself.Kendall would only have snatched moments of rest until the strike was resolved.He’d heard the rumours as he entered the building.The blacklegs were already heating the retorts out at New Wortley.Soon they’d be making gas.But most had already left, escaping into the crowds that waited around the walls and greeted them like heroes.Meadow Lane was nearly empty, little more than a handful of workers left.The council was losing the strike.‘No ledgers anywhere?’ the superintendent asked.‘He keeps them with his lawyer, according to the wife.You know what Desmond’s like.’‘Do you think he could be behind it all?’ Kendall asked.‘I don’t know.’ He’d considered the idea on the journey into Leeds, but he couldn’t believe it.There wasn’t a policeman in Leeds who’d trust Desmond, but it was impossible to think of him killing his clients, and he’d been Bell’s lawyer for years.‘Reed’s gone to see him.’Kendall nodded and tried in vain to stifle a wide yawn.The weariness had turned him into an old man, his hair grey and unkempt, the lines so deep on his face they could have been cut into the skin.‘These two men, the boxer and the other one,’ he began slowly.‘I can see how Col Parkinson connects to Henry Bell, he’ll have borrowed money.But how in God’s name did they end up on the Town Hall steps?’Harper shook his head.‘I don’t know that yet, sir.I can’t see how it all fits together.’ He paused.‘But it all seems to hinge on this pair.’‘Find them.You know the council’s still saying that the strikers are behind the murder?’‘But they’re not,’ Harper protested, starting to rise from his chair.‘We both know that, sir.The strikers had nothing to do with it.’Kendall raised his hand, waiting until the inspector finished.Quietly and firmly, he said, ‘Until you bring in those two and prove they did it, that’s the line the council’s taking.’Harper knew full well why they were doing it.This strike was war between union and council.And in a battle like this, words could be powerful weapons.Leeds was crippled, and those in power couldn’t allow that situation to last.They’d use anything they could to win, even if it was a lie.If it was repeated often enough it could become the truth.‘Tom,’ Kendall said gently.‘You have no idea how bad it is out there.The cavalry’s guarding the works out at New Wortley.There are crowds of strikers outside who look like they might storm the place at any time
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