Chapter 11 Hannibal Takes Action

Tommy sat with the police inspector² in his office. The police officer, In-spector Norris, was nodding his head gently.
‘I hope with any luck we may get results, Mr Beresford,’ he said. ‘DrCrossfield, you say, is attending to your wife.’
‘Yes,’ said Tommy, ‘it isn’t serious, I gather. It was just grazing³ by a bul-let and it bled a good deal, but she’s going to be all right, I think. There’snothing really dangerous, Dr Crossfield said.’
‘She’s not very young, though, I suppose,’ said Inspector Norris.
‘She’s over seventy,’ said Tommy. ‘We’re both of us getting on, youknow.’
‘Yes, yes. Quite so,’ said Inspector Norris. ‘I’ve heard a good deal abouther locally, you know, since you came here to live. People have taken toher in a big way. We’ve heard about her various activities. And aboutyours.’
‘Oh, dear,’ said Tommy.
‘Can’t live down your record, you know, whatever it is. Good or bad,’
said Inspector Norris in a kindly⁴ voice. ‘You can’t live down a record ifyou’re a criminal and you can’t live down your record if you’ve been ahero either. Of one thing I can assure⁵ you. We’ll do all we can to clearthings up. You can’t describe whoever it was, I suppose?’
‘No,’ said Tommy. ‘When I saw him he was running with our dog afterhim. I should say he was not very old. He ran easily, I mean.’
‘Difficult age round about fourteen, fifteen onwards.’
‘It was someone older than that,’ said Tommy.
‘Not had any telephone calls or letters, demands for money or anythinglike that?’ said the Inspector. ‘Asking you to get out of your house, maybe?’
‘No,’ said Tommy, ‘nothing like that.’
‘And you’ve been here–how long?’
Tommy told him.
‘Hmmm. Not very long. You go to London, I gather, most days of theweek.’
‘Yes,’ said Tommy. ‘If you want particulars–’
‘No,’ said Inspector Norris, ‘no. No, I don’t need any particulars. Theonly thing I should suggest is that–well, you don’t go away too often. If youcan manage to stay at home and look after Mrs Beresford yourself…’

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